Criminal Justice
by freddylloyd
Summary: Bart Allen has so many projects: his "Kid Flash Investigates" movie, the college classes his family wants him to take, and this little matter of a murder. In comics script form, following on the story "Kid Flash Investigates!"
1. A Chance to Whitewash a Fence

PAGE ONE (seven panels)

Panel 1. BART ALLEN is in his bedroom, wearing ordinary clothes. He's sitting in front of a computer screen, tapping his finger impatiently.

Panel 2. Close-up of the computer screen, showing what BART is looking at: a page on a website called YourVids, which shows videos that people upload.

SCREEN:

YourVids

Trailer for Kid Flash Investigates!

Duration: 1:36 Views: 5

Panel 3. Same as Panel 2.

Panel 4. Same as Panel 3.

Panel 5. Same as Panel 4.

Panel 6. Same as Panel 5 except that the last line now says, "Views: 6".

Panel 7. BART has grabbed his phone and is babbling happily into it.

BART:

Someone's watching! Someone's watching it _right now!_

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. PETER KARLSON is speaking on the phone from his bedroom in his mother's garage. He's sitting at his computer. The walls have posters for _Scarface, Ronin, Reservoir Dogs, The Italian Job_, and other crime movies. There are (shoplifted) DVDs on the table and floor.

PETER:

Dude, that was _me_. I just watched it again. Isn't it _kickin'?_

Panel 2. Back to BART's room. Still on the phone, he's jumped to his feet and popped the control on his ring, making his Kid Flash uniform spring out.

BART:

_What?_ Stay right there-we have to _talk!_

Panel 3. BART, tugging on pieces of his Kid Flash costume, races toward the front door past JAY GARRICK, sitting on his couch in civilian clothes reading a magazine.

BART:

Important meeting about my _educational_ project! I'll be back for supper! Bye!

Panel 4. JAY zips up to the front door, bringing BART up short.

JAY:

Did you read the booklet I left for you?

BART:

What? No. Sorry! Didn't have time.

Panel 5. JAY rushes back in with the booklet and presses it on BART as he slips out. The booklet has a photo on the cover, but we can't read the type.

JAY:

It's a _booklet_. It will take you four _hundredths_ of a second.

BART:

Okay okay-I'll take it with me!

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash vibrates through the wall into PETER's apartment, carrying the booklet. PETER is looking at his computer screen.

PETER:

We've got _seven_ views now.

BART (excited):

_Really?_

Panel 2. PETER is still peering at his monitor while BART gets exasperated, a black cloud coming off his head.

PETER:

Yeah, I just watched it again.

PETER:

Dude, we need _better sound_.

Panel 3. Close up as BART complains, and establishes the stakes for this installment.

BART:

What we _need_ is _other_ people to watch!

BART:

We gotta _do something_ to show the Flash Museum that people _want_ the whole movie!

Panel 4. Close up as PETER dismisses BART's concern, establishing the theme for this installment.

PETER:

But viral marketing's all about getting _other_ people to spread the word _for_ us.

Panel 5. Pull back to medium view as BART, both hands clutched in his hair, continues his complaint to PETER, who continues to be more lackadaisical.

BART:

Those _other people_ aren't doing their job!

PETER:

You gotta give 'em _time_, man!

PETER:

You want to watch it again?

PANEL 6. The story title and credits at the bottom of the page.

TITLE:

**A Chance to Whitewash a Fence **

CREDITS

•

PAGE FOUR (six panels)

Panel 1. BART enters the Garrick house through the kitchen door. In the kitchen, JOAN GARRICK is placing pork cutlets on plates with biscuits and peas.

JOAN:

So what did you think of that _catalog?_ See anything that _interested_ you?

Panel 2. BART frantically looks around and feels his pockets, realizing he's lost the booklet somewhere.

BART:

Very interesting, Joan! I, uh, want to read it _more carefully!_

BART:

Gotta go change for dinner!

Panel 3. BART, now back in regular clothes, is setting the dinner table impeccably at high speed.

BART:

Mmm, that smells _good!_ Your cutlets always smell _good_, Joan! How do you make your cutlets smell so _good?_

Panel 4. As BART sits in his place, hands folded angelically, JOAN and JAY bring in the food.

JOAN:

Rhubarb, dear. We gave you that course catalog because we don't think it's good for you to sit in front of the computer all the time.

JAY:

I try to do something _useful_ every day.

Panel 5. JAY and JOAN take their seats at the dinner table.

BART (glaring a little at JAY):

It's easier to be _useful_ when you're not _grounded_.

JOAN:

We think it's time for you to think again about _school._

Panel 6. BART reacts with alarm.

BART:

_School?_ Can't I think about something _else?_

JAY:

Well, Max Mercury wondered if you might be available to help with a delivery.

BART:

Yeah! Yeah! I'll help _Max!_

•

PAGE FIVE (seven panels)

Panel 1. BART is in his bedroom later that evening, wearing his Kid Flash uniform with the mask pulled down. He's drawing at great speed on a pile of small papers when his phone rings. The ring is some horrendously complex, fast Eddie Van Halen guitar solo, showing up as a series of eighth and sixteenth notes.

Panel 2. BART has his mask pulled up and his phone under his chin. He's stuffing all his papers in a backpack as he stands up to leave.

MAX (electronic balloon coming from phone):

It's time.

BART:

On my way!

Panel 3. Backpack strapped on, BART is with MAX MERCURY, also in costume, in a lab in the basement of the Keystone Central Hospital. A middle-aged female DOCTOR is pointing to two coolers on the table in front of them.

DOCTOR:

The red cooler goes to Memphis General, and the blue one to Charter Hospital in Coast City.

BART:

Gotcha.

Panel 4. BART is squinting under the bottom of the blue cooler's lid, trying to peek inside. MAX, respectfully cradling the red cooler in one arms, hands BART a small GPS device.

MAX:

My GPS tracker will lead you straight to Charter Hospital. When you're done, hit "Reverse," and it'll feed you directions home.

Panel 5. BART has put the blue cooler back on the table to pull a handful of papers out of his backpack.

BART:

Max, I've _learned_ how to prepare for a job. We've got this thing called "Google Maps" now.

Panel 6. BART has zoomed out of the panel, leaving the path of his departure in the air. The DOCTOR is startled at his disappearance, MAX less so.

Panel 7. As MAX and the DOCTOR look dubious, BART reappears, sheepish grin on his face, to pick up his blue cooler and the GPS device.

BART:

Heh heh.

•

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. BART turns at high speed up the driveway of the hospital in Coast City. A big sign at the end of the driveway says, "Charter Hospital / Deliveries Department".

GPS (electronic word balloon):

Take a _left_ into the parking lot.

BART (to GPS):

Oh, like I need _you_ to figure that out.

Panel 2. BART holds out the cooler to a Filipino-American SURGEON on the Charter Hospital transplant team.

BART:

Delivery from Keystone Central!

SURGEON:

Thanks, kid. A nice lady in the next room's waiting for these heart and lungs.

Panel 3. BART once again stares at the cooler as the SURGEON carries it away.

BART:

Really? Wow.

BART:

Do you need any _help?_ 'Cause I read all about transp-

SURGEON:

I think the thirteen doctors and nurses behind that door can handle it. You can head home now.

Panel 4. Back outside, BART runs back down the Charter Hospital driveway, a sly look on his face.

BART:

But first…some viral marketing.

Panel 5. BART speeds off into downtown Coast City, having left a hand-drawn sticker on the hospital sign in the foreground. It has a picture of a lightning bolt and the words "Kid Flash Investigates! Check out the trailer on YourVids!"

GPS (electronic word balloon):

You have turned the wrong way.

•

PAGE SEVEN (four panels)

Panel 1. BART zigzags through the dark Coast City streets, leaving more stickers on lampposts, fire hydrants, walls, etc.

GPS (electronic word balloon):

Turn around at the next opportunity.

Panel 2. BART pastes a hand-drawn poster on a wall; it shows Kid Flash in the style of Shepard Fairey's Obama poster with the word SPEED at the bottom.

GPS (electronic word balloon):

Take the next right turn.

Panel 3. BART spray-paints a stylized caricature of himself as a "tag" on a metal fence around a construction site. His tag looks not unlike the Kid Flash in _Tiny Titans_.

GPS (electronic word balloon):

Calculating new route to Keystone City.

BART:

_Quiet! _

Panel 4. BART arrives back at MAX's apartment in Keystone, backpack depleted, and tosses the GPS to MAX, who's sitting on his couch.

GPS (electronic word balloon):

You have reached your destination.

BART (sarcastic):

Can't tell you how useful that thing was.

•

PAGE EIGHT (three panels)

Panel 1. Having turned off the GPS device, MAX holds it up thoughtfully while BART, who's flopped on the other end of the couch, reacts with silent trepidation to his remark.

MAX:

You know, these devices also record exactly where you've been.

Panel 2. MAX continues to speak thoughtfully. BART answers while peeking at MAX out of the corners of his eyes.

MAX:

So…do you have any plans to be useful _tomorrow?_

BART:

I thought I might, um, help clean up graffiti in, um, Coast City.

Panel 3. Big final panel of BART hard at work the next day brushing a coat of white over his spray-painted caricature on the Coast City fence. He's wearing his Kid Flash uniform and, as a smock, an oversized T-shirt with his Fairey image and SPEED on the back. A plastic trash bag at BART's feet is stuffed with his stickers and crumpled posters. A hand-lettered sandwich-board set up nearby says, "This clean-up project brought to you by **Kid Flash Investigates!** Check out the trailer on YourVids!" He coyly peeks back over his shoulder at readers.


	2. The Public Eye Was on Him

PAGE ONE (three panels)

Panel 1. A detail from a computer screen, showing the user feedback for BART's movie preview on YourVids.

SCREEN:

**Comments on "Trailer for Kid Flash Investigates!"**

timbo: LAME

frt16: u guys need help! Srsly!

Palmer1: Saw btter cosplay CoastCon!

herofan: 2 stars. Keep tryin.

Wellesheir: Fave any 6 of my vids and Ill fave this 1.

gelnad: FAKE

jonasfan: not as cute as kevin even

Fafner: ur doin it WRNG!

LaurenR: i liked sum of the running around.

Weedman4: ur sound sux!

YoYoMan: i cant stand this guy!

LongJellO: LOL all the way thru

CrazeeGurL: whose the cute blond guy at 1:05?

Guangdo: I am regretful to state that I could not comprehend what the young Man had say. Is it my English study?

CarterGrove: No its the sound.

Titanik: All right for a 1st try. By a monkey.

xghas2: SO?

MMArtist: How com he doesnt hit anyone?

ComedyGene: Another 1:36 of my life I'll NEVER get back

NoKid: Cmon guys! it wasn't THAT bad

Fafner: Yes it WAS!

Souldad: Hold the camera staedy man

Ahmed: DoH!

PrestoCutto: Good shots. You could time thm smoother & make a rhythm. i"m taking a class in editing now, can pass on tips if you like.

CleanJean: Wd b better if u did it WET

Arthur: Cant hear!

DennysSpecial: totlally FAKE

Panel 2. BART reads the comments, groaning. His phone goes off with its guitar-riff ring tone.

Panel 3. Title and credits across the bottom of the page.

TITLE:

**The Public Eye Was on Him**

CREDITS

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. BART speaks on the phone, feeling low.

BART:

Hi, Peter.

PETER (voice on phone):

Dude, we've gone _viral!_

BART:

That must be why I feel _sick_.

BART:

People _hate_ me!

Panel 2. As PETER's voice comes from the phone, BART peers at his monitor.

PETER (through the phone):

Hey, as long as they spell your name right.

BART:

Some of these people can't spell _anything_.

Panel 3. PETER's bedroom as he speaks on the phone, camera in his other hand.

PETER:

Seriously, all that matters is the number of views. And we got _849!_

PETER:

So we need _more footage! _

BART (voice on phone):

Really?

Panel 4. Back in BART's room, he's jumped to his feet, energized again. He's pulling on his uniform top while still speaking on the phone.

BART:

Meet me at Keystone Central Hospital!

Panel 5. Long shot of the fluorescent-lit basement hallway of the hospital. Among the half-dozen people looking up at an intrusion off-panel are MAX MERCURY in full costume and the middle-aged female DOCTOR from the previous installment. The DOCTOR holds a small green cooler.

ADMINISTRATOR (off panel):

Sir! This is not a public area! We don't allow filming-

BART (off panel):

It's okay-he's with _me!_

PETER (off panel):

Yeah, I'm with _him_.

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. PETER starts filming as BART, wearing his Kid Flash outfit and standing next to MAX MERCURY, talks to the camera. MAX is looking more than dubious.

BART:

This is _Max Mercury_. He's an _old_ hero.

BART:

He taught me _everything he knows!_

Panel 2. BART holds up the cooler for the camera and continues to explain, with help from the DOCTOR.

BART:

Today I'm going on a _mission_ to deliver these…

DOCTOR:

Corneas.

BART:

_Corneas_ from an organ donor here in Keystone to…

DOCTOR:

Memphis General.

BART:

_Memphis General! _

PETER:

Who was the dead guy?

Panel 3. The camera's view of MAX and BART. MAX replies to PETER behind the camera as BART, now holding the cooler in one hand, joshingly elbows MAX in the side.

MAX:

He was a young man just about your age.

BART:

Heh heh, Max can never resist a _teaching moment_. He's _always_ reminding people they can die. He's like that slave who stood behind the Roman generals whispering, _"Memento-"_

Panel 4. Still the camera's view, but now the DOCTOR is in the picture, too. BART looks at the cooler more seriously.

DOCTOR:

Mr. Mercury is _correct_. Our donor was only eighteen years old when he was shot in the head.

BART:

Ohh.

PETER (out of panel):

This material is _awesome!_

Panel 5. Pull back to show PETER filming again. BART is getting ready to zoom away while MAX and the DOCTOR look on with increasing impatience.

BART:

Well, I'd better run these, um…

DOCTOR:

Corne-

BART:

_Corneas_ over to Memphis. You can interview Max about me. I'll be _back in a flash!_

Panel 6. The last remnants of BART's crackly trail are fading. PETER is pointing his camera at MAX, who glares back.

PETER:

So…?

MAX:

No comment.

•

PAGE FOUR (four panels)

Panel 1. BART has reappeared beside MAX and the DOCTOR as PETER continues filming.

BART:

Okay, I'm back! What'd I miss?

MAX (to PETER):

Young man, it's time for you to _go_. I need to speak _privately_ to Im-Kid Flash.

Panel 2. PETER, who has good survival instincts, has quickly stopped filming. MAX and BART are about to leave the hospital. The DOCTOR has headed back to her office.

BART (to PETER):

Ooh, important meeting! Don't worry-I'll tell you all about it later.

MAX:

No, you won't.

Panel 3. MAX and BART are running through the streets of Keystone. BART has tumbled to the fact that MAX is not pleased, and is starting to chafe.

MAX:

It's time for a family discussion of your activities.

BART:

You're not the boss of the family anymore!

MAX:

But I know who is.

Panel 4. MAX, JAY GARRICK, and JOAN GARRICK are sitting in the Garricks' living room. JOAN is speaking to a sullen BART, and the body language makes clear that the men are deferring to her.

JOAN:

Bart, this is why we think it's time for you to go back to _school_.

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. BART argues with JOAN.

BART:

But in the speed force I grew too _old_ for high school! And I already did _all the reading_.

BART:

All the _interesting_ reading, anyway.

JOAN:

We're not talking about _high school_, Bart. We're talking about _college_.

Panel 2. BART reacts with surprise.

BART:

_College? _

BART:

I can't go to college! I, I never took those college board thingies!

JOAN:

That's why we gave you that _catalog_ for Keystone Community College. You can start taking classes _now_, and transfer the credits to a four-year college _later_.

Panel 3. BART struggles to fend off this unexpected assault on his well-laid plans.

BART:

But what about my _educational_ project? We're making an independent movie for the Flash Museum!

Panel 4. JAY enters the conversation.

JAY:

I checked with the museum, and they don't know anything about a movie.

BART:

It's _in-de-pen-dent_.

BART:

And it's gonna be _useful_.

Panel 5. JAY and MAX look to JOAN as BART pouts.

JOAN:

To be fair, we should take a look at Bart's movie.

•

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. MAX, JOAN, and JAY are in BART's bedroom, crowded around his computer monitor. BART sits to one side, mortified by the whole situation. Off panel, BARRY ALLEN arrives downstairs.

JAY:

Kind of hard to follow.

MAX:

At least it doesn't give away his identity-yet.

JAY:

It needs better sound.

JOAN:

The viewer reviews are…mixed.

BARRY (off panel):

Sorry I'm late!

Panel 2. BARRY ALLEN, pushing back the mask on his Flash uniform, comes into BART's bedroom as well. The adults catch him up on the situation while BART continues to slump.

JAY:

We're watching the trailer for Bart's movie.

BARRY:

They put home movies on computers now? Amazing!

Panel 3. Having put on reading glasses, BARRY peers at the screen with concern while BART looks on.

BARRY:

"Directed by Peter Karlson"? Is he any relation to Jimmy Karlson, the "Sausage Man"?

BART (quietly, in small letters):

He's his nephew.

Panel 4. BARRY turns to BART, who realizes he's at a sensitive point.

BARRY:

Hmm. How did you meet him, Bart?

BART (letters too small to be legible):

. … … ….. …. …. …

BARRY:

What?

BART (letters still small, but readable):

I caught him breaking into Wally's house.

Panel 5. All the adults are dismayed at this news. BARRY gives BART a serious talk.

BARRY:

Bart, the "Sausage Man" is a _career criminal._

BARRY:

The only reason he isn't locked up is that the department sees more benefit in keeping tabs on when he's hiring.

BARRY:

How do you know his nephew isn't _using you?_

•

PAGE SEVEN (four panels)

Panel 1. In the Sausage Man's storefront office. The plate-glass window has been replaced but not painted with the store logo, so there's a cardboard sign leaning against it. There are still a couple of bullet holes in the rear wall and the poster. JIMMY KARLSON sits at his desk, interviewing a burly ASPIRING HENCHMAN.

UNCLE JIMMY:

Don't worry-_my_ clients see prison time as a _plus_.

UNCLE JIMMY:

You got any allergies? Mental conditions? Problems with cold?

ASPIRING HENCHMAN:

Nothing I can't handle for a few grand.

Panel 2. BART shows up behind the ASPIRING HENCHMAN, looking peeved. The HENCHMAN is suddenly nervous.

ASPIRING HENCHMAN:

Actually, um, I heard Keystone Motors is hiring on the midnight shift.

BART:

Good career choice.

Panel 3. As the ASPIRING HENCHMAN disappears through the storefront door, an angry BART confronts JIMMY KARLSON over his desk.

BART:

I saved your butt last month, so tell me-

BART:

_Have you got Peter working for you? _

UNCLE JIMMY:

My brother's kid? I gave him some odd jobs, let him sweep up around here…

Panel 4. As UNCLE JIMMY continues to talk, BART reacts happily to what he hears.

UNCLE JIMMY:

…but just yesterday Peter calls in and tells me he's too busy to do _anything _for the next five months!

UNCLE JIMMY:

Kids today-no sensa work ethic.

•

PAGE EIGHT (three panels)

Panel 1. PETER KARLSON is walking among some brick buildings, answering his cell phone.

BART (through the phone):

Hi, it's Kid Flash.

PETER:

Dude, I solved our sound problem! I found a place with all the equipment we need.

Panel 2. BART stands in a Keystone park, talking on his cell with a puzzled expression.

PETER (voice through phone):

And all because of that catalog you left in my room. I owe you!

BART:

What?

Panel 3. Pull back to reveal that PETER is on the campus of Keystone Community College, as shown by the sign in front of one large classroom building. He goggles at a couple of young women walking by.

PETER:

Dude, I'm taking a videography class at Keystone Community!

PETER:

I never thought about going to college before, but _man!_

PETER:

Dude, you gotta try it!


	3. His Future Lay Plain Before Him

PAGE ONE (two panels)

Panel 1. Title and credits at top of page.

TITLE:

**His Future Lay Plain Before Him **

CREDITS

Panel 2. Medium close-up of BART talking. His hair and motion lines show that he's running backward. It's night, and he's in a city.

BART:

So now _Max_ and the _Flash_ and the _other_ Flash and probably the _other_ other Flash are all saying I have to go to _college!_

BART:

They say I have to take _two classes_ this year. They say it'll be an _opportunity_.

BART:

But I need free time to work with the _Titans!_ And the _JLA_-you never know when they might call. And _my own cases_, if I ever find one.

BART:

Also I was working on this independent film, which is gonna be all _educational_ and _useful_. And awesome.

BART:

But now the guy I was working with has gone off to _college!_ He told me our movie's gonna be his class project, and I should sign up too, but I can't sign up as _Kid Flash!_ And besides, I'm not interested in studying movies about other people.

BART:

So what should I do now?

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. TIM DRAKE as Red Robin is driving his motorcycle through the streets of Gotham City straight at us-i.e., this is BART's point of view. TIM has a radio microphone pulled out of his cowl toward his mouth, just to answer the question of how the guys can converse like this.

TIM:

Turn left.

Panel 2. TIM has turned his motorcycle left and is heading down another street. BART's crackle trail shows that he's turned the opposite way.

TIM:

Sorry-_my_ left.

BART:

Did _Batman_ go to college? Did _Nightwing?_ (Where _is_ Nightwing, anyway?)

Panel 3. BART has caught up to TIM as they continue their conversation.

TIM:

They dropped out of college. But they spent those years _studying_ and _training_. They knew exactly what they were looking for.

TIM:

So I guess the question is, what are _you_ looking for?

BART:

_I don't know!_ What are _you_ looking for?

Panel 4. BART passes TIM, speeding ahead down the street.

TIM:

Light blue van, plate starts KR. It's in one of those parking garages up ahead.

Panel 5. TIM is further along the same street. BART's crackle path shows that he's returning.

BART:

The garage on the right-_your_ right. Fourth floor, area D.

•

PAGE THREE (seven panels)

Panel 1. Inside the parking garage. BART has run ahead and is pointing urgently to a light blue van with the license plate KRH•237. TIM pulls up on his motorcycle.

BART:

_You're_ not going to college, right?

Panel 2. TIM rips open the back door of the van as BART looks on. Theoretically, TIM says "open" at the same time he yanks on the door.

TIM:

I got my G.E.D. two years ago. I took the S.A.T.s. I filled out the common application.

TIM:

So I'm keeping that option…

SFX:

Krunnnk!

TIM:

-_open!_

Panel 3. TIM and BART look into the back of the minivan, which is packed with explosives, metal barrels stamped with the symbol for radioactivity, and a timer that says 00:37.

BART:

What is _that?_

TIM:

Dirty bomb.

Panel 4. Close-up of the timer in TIM's hands as he shoves an electrode into a slit on one side. Now the timer says 00:31.

BART:

Ooh! There are _hundreds_ of people around! I can't grab 'em _all!_

Panel 5. Close-up of the timer as TIM flicks a switch on the electrode. The timer now says 99:99.

TIM:

No need.

Panel 6. TIM gets back on his motorcycle as BART looks on, trying to process.

TIM:

We gave the bomb squad time to move the bad stuff.

TIM:

The way I see it, Bart, in the long run college _opens_ more doors than it would _close_.

Panel 7. Close up of BART, still in his Kid Flash uniform. He's no longer in the parking garage, but inside a room, standing in front of an open frame window, at night.

BART:

What would _college_ let me do that I can't do _now?_

•

PAGE FOUR (five panels)

Panel 1. Pull back to show that BART has snuck into CASSIE SANDSMARK's dorm room at the Elias School for Girls. In the background, CISSIE KING is opening the door to the hallway, and GRETA HAYES is slipping back into the room. All three girls are in their sleepwear, eyes tired.

CASSIE:

Well, for one thing, you could visit girls in their dorm rooms _without _getting them in trouble.

CISSIE (whisper balloon):

Did anyone hear?

GRETA (whisper balloon):

He's still our secret.

Panel 2. BART continues speaking to CASSIE. He's sitting in front of the open window he came in through, and oblivious to the disruption he's caused.

BART:

See, my guardians say I have to go to _college_.

CASSIE:

So…?

Panel 3. Close up on BART.

BART:

So who wants to go to _college?_

Panel 4. All three girls look at each other.

Panel 5. All three girls turn back to BART.

CASSIE, CISSIE, and GRETA:

_We_ do.

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. As BART registers surprise, the girls explain their plans.

GRETA:

I'm thinking _pre-med_.

CISSIE:

I've gotten seven athletic scholarship offers. Now I'm looking to see which school has the best _business_ program.

CASSIE:

And I'm wondering about _archeology_, or maybe _theater_.

Panel 2. CASSIE continues to explain while BART objects strenuously.

CASSIE:

That's one of the great things about college, Bart. It's not like high school. You get to study what you're _interested_ in studying.

BART:

But I'm not interested in _anything!_

Panel 3. CASSIE holds one finger up to BART's mouth.

CASSIE:

Inside voice, Bart.

CASSIE:

In fact, you're interested in _a lot_. You read _everything_.

Panel 4. GRETA and CISSIE add their voices.

GRETA:

You _draw_, and you play the _guitar_.

CISSIE:

Did you know there are even a couple of colleges where you can major in _designing video games?_

Panel 5. BART reacts with wide-eyed surprise.

BART (small letters):

They're…_designed?_

•

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. BART, still in his Kid Flash uniform, is standing outside in the bright sun, talking to someone off panel.

BART:

I figure _you_ understand how I feel about _college_.

Panel 2. Pull back to show that BART is talking to KON out in a field on the Kent farm. KON is wrestling with some sort of muddy irrigation equipment.

KON:

_College?_ Oh, man, I'm _so_ looking forward to _college!_

Panel 3. BART is shocked at KON's words.

BART:

But you're the _Kid!_ You're the _rebel!_ You're-

KON:

Stuck in _Smallville_, man! College is my ticket out of here!

Panel 4. KON has grabbed BART by the arms and is speaking with a touch of mad desperation in his eyes.

KON:

In Smallville, kids don't even go _cow-tipping!_ We sit around and wait for cows to _fall over by themselves!_

KON:

Last week I found myself singing along to…_Shania Twain!_

BART:

Ooookay.

Panel 5. KON has regained control of himself and let BART go. BART is thinking back.

KON:

Bart, you don't know what it's like to grow up in one of these small towns!

BART:

Well, actually…

•

PAGE SEVEN (three panels)

Panel 1. Close up of BART in his Kid Flash outfit. We're inside once more, now in a room with beige walls and wood paneling.

BART:

So I know I haven't visited Manchester much or answered _every_ letter, but I was _busy_ and then I was _grown up_ and then I was _dead_, and now I'm _back_ and I _really need your advice!_

Panel 2. Another close-up of BART, still talking.

BART:

All the _Flashes_ and the _Titans_ and _everybody_ is telling me I should go to school or college or community college or _someplace_, but I want to be a _hero_, and how do you learn to be a hero in _college_, and I have important _projects_ and _cases_, and deep down I'm not totally sure I can handle it.

BART:

So what _you_ do think I should do?

Panel 3. Pull back to reveal that BART has been talking to CAROL BUCKLEN, and that they're sitting in a lecture hall. Dozens of other young women are watching BART and CAROL in puzzlement after his interruption. A middle-aged professor has paused her lecture mid-PowerPoint; the screen shows a photograph of a 1960s civil-rights demonstration. CAROL speaks to BART gently but firmly.

CAROL:

Honey, what do you _think_ I'm going to tell you?

•

PAGE EIGHT (four panels)

Panel 1. BART in civilian clothes opens an interior door that contains a window and is numbered "C-301".

Panel 2. BART sits down in a classroom, placing the three thick books on the desk attached to his chair. On the blackboard is written "Prof. Annie McDonnel" and "Intro to Criminal Justice." PROFESSOR McDONNEL-a tall black woman with short hair and glasses-stands at the lectern, watching students file in. The lectern says "Keystone Community."

Panel 3. PROFESSOR McDONNEL (perhaps off-panel) asks a question, and BART innocently raises his hand.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

All right, let's get started. Who here has done all the reading?

Panel 4: The students, who show a mix of ages, races, genders, and personal styles, look at BART with varying degrees of surprise and resentment. Only BART has his hand up. Obviously he's going to be raising the curve. BART, hand still in the air, glances back from the corner of his eyes.

BART (small letters, small balloon):

What?


	4. A Lonely Spot on the Riverbank

PAGE ONE (three panels)

Panel 1. BART ALLEN as Kid Flash and MAX MERCURY in his costume and mask are running across a western prairie landscape at speed like old times (though BART is taller than in his Impulse days). BART rolls his eyes as they talk.

MAX:

So how are you finding college?

BART:

I already _told_ you about Google Maps.

MAX:

What I meant was-

BART:

_Joking_, Max!

Panel 2. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**A Lonely Spot on the River-Bank**

CREDITS

Panel 3. More running across the grasslands.

MAX (eyeing BART):

Hmm.

BART:

College is fine.

BART:

I signed up for a class on _criminal justice_.

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. BART talks to MAX as they approach a stack of cloth sacks and shovels.

BART:

I figure that'll help me be a better _hero_.

Panel 2. BART loads MAX up with sacks.

BART:

Though it may not be fair to the other students 'cause _I'm_ already working with the _Titans_.

Panel 3. Flashback panel. BART is in his Criminal Justice class, one hand in the air, answering a question.

BART:

The rational-actor theory assumes that criminals behave reasonably based on the economic opportunities and risks they see.

Panel 4. Flashback panel. PROFESSOR McDONNEL praises BART while he grins a little smugly.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Yes, Mr. Allen. That's exactly what the textbook says.

Panel 5. MAX and BART are running with the sacks as they continue their discussion. BART also has a shovel over one shoulder.

BART:

Plus, I took five minutes and read all the books _three times._

•

PAGE THREE (five panels)

Panel 1. MAX and BART, carrying the sacks and shovel, run along the banks of a river.

MAX:

You use your _speed_ to study?

BART:

It goes faster that way! And I _remember_ stuff better when I'm not _bored_.

Panel 2. MAX and BART dump the sacks into a heap beside a big pile of sand.

MAX:

Has Jay talked to you about using your speed?

BART:

Oh, we've _talked_.

Panel 3. Flashback panel. JAY is talking to BART in his living room. JAY is in his top hail-fellow-well-met form, in sport coat; he isn't smoking a pipe, but he looks like he could. BART, in contrast, is totally bored.

JAY:

You should take time and _enjoy_ college, Bart.

JAY:

Have I told you about _my_ college days?

BART (balloon nearly covered up by JAY's balloons as he continues on):

Yes.

JAY:

College was where I became the _Flash_. College was where I met _Joan_.

Panel 4. Flashback panel. JAY continues his anecdotes, and something causes BART to cock an eyebrow.

JAY:

Of course, she didn't notice me at first.

JAY:

But then I won the _big game _against Hudson with some…broken-field running.

Panel 5. Flashback panel. With a smirk, BART confronts JAY, who has no answer.

BART:

So _you_ used your _speed_ in college? To play _football?_ To get _girls?_

•

PAGE FOUR (six panels)

Panel 1. MAX is holding open one sack while BART shovels sand into it at super speed.

MAX:

And are you still making that…video?

BART:

"Kid Flash Investigates"? For the Flash Museum?

BART:

Oh, yeah, that's on track.

Panel 2. Flashback panel. PETER KARLSON with his camera under his arm and BART in his Kid Flash outfit have met behind the Flash Museum. PETER is yelling at BART, and BART is yelling back.

PETER:

You scared my uncle's customers-_uncool_, dude!

BART:

Your uncle's customers are _bad guys!_

Panel 3. Flashback panel. The argument continues.

PETER:

You don't even know them _all!_

PETER:

From now on, family business is _off limits_.

BART:

I have _family_, too! I have _secrets_ to protect!

Panel 4. Flashback panel. PETER gestures to the camera. BART becomes more thoughtful.

PETER:

Have I ever asked you about _private stuff_, man? Have I ever asked you to take off your _mask?_

BART:

No.

BART:

I guess I _can_ trust you.

Panel 5. Flashback panel. BART is once again eager for filming, and PETER is back in directorial mode.

PETER:

Good. Now I want to get you running up the side of a building. That looks so _cool_.

Panel 6. Flashback panel. BART runs up the building while PETER films him.

PETER (muttering):

We can save the mask stuff for the _sequel_.

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. Now MAX is quickly shoveling sand into a sack that BART holds.

MAX:

And how's working with the Titans?

BART:

They're _great!_ It's Cassie and Kon and Gar and a buncha new guys.

Panel 2. BART places that sandbag on top of a wall of other sandbags as MAX looks at him thoughtfully.

MAX:

So what's _bothering_ you?

BART (hiding something):

Bothering me? Nothing's bothering me! I'm not being bothered at all.

Panel 3. MAX quizzes BART, who gestures to the rising river behind the wall of sandbags.

MAX:

Then why did you ask to come with me this weekend?

BART:

We're being _useful_, Max! This river's _flooding!_

Panel 4. MAX and BART head back to the pile of sand.

MAX:

But you didn't know my plans when you called me. I got the feeling that you wanted to _talk_.

BART:

Well,…

BART:

I guess college is _tougher_ than I thought.

Panel 5. Flashback panel. Expanded version of the fourth panel on PAGE TWO. PROFESSOR McDONNEL praises BART while he grins happily, but behind him a student named BILLY JAKE HERSEY is objecting. HERSEY is a white man in his late twenties, slightly overweight, a sheriff's deputy from a rural county.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Yes, Mr. Allen. That's exactly what the textbook says.

HERSEY:

And it's total _crap_.

•

PAGE SIX (four panels)

Panel 1. Flashback panel. The class is engaged in a lively discussion, with BART left behind in the background. OLIVE MAYBAUM is a gray-haired white woman who knits through class; she's taking the course as part of her plan to write mystery novels. JEANNE-MARIE LaFLUME is a Haitian-American woman nineteen years old.

HERSEY:

If perps are "rational actors," how come most of the guys I pick up are _drunk?_

MAYBAUM:

Because, honey, you're catching the assaults and disorderlies. You're _not_ catching the burglaries.

LaFUME:

Exactly. Like, how many property crimes never get solved?

BART:

Ooh! 82%!

Panel 2. Flashback panel. BART is thumbing through his textbook in dismay as the discussion continues. NAT BIRNBAUM is twenty years old, hopefully pre-law, wearing a yarmulke and a heavy metal T-shirt. MARINA DESIDERIO is a middle-aged Latina woman dressed for an office job.

HERSEY:

But half the _housebreakers_ I catch are drunk, too.

BIRNBAUM:

You think maybe you caught _those_ guys _because_ they were drunk? You caught the ones who _weren't_ "rational actors."

DESIDERIO:

Unless lowering your inhibitions looks like a _reasonable_ choice when you're planning to break into a house.

Panel 3. Flashback panel. BART points to a particular page in the textbook.

BART:

The book says-

HERSEY:

Aah, whoever wrote that book never broke up a bar fight in their life!

Panel 4. Flashback panel. BART is fuming at HERSEY while PROFESSSOR McDONNEL takes control of the discussion.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

I like the _professional_ experiences most of you are bringing.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

But let's talk about how we're looking at _different samples…_

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. MAX once again shovels sand into BART's sack at super speed.

MAX:

College study takes more than memorizing facts and phrases, Bart. It means _exploring_ _ideas_.

Panel 2. MAX has another shovelful of sand, but BART is in wide-armed indignation.

MAX:

It means_ critical_ _thinking_.

BART:

But I'm _always_ thinking critically!

Panel 3. MAX dumps the sand from his shovel into the sack BART is holding. BART's face shows more reflection, and a little sheepishness.

MAX:

Not just about _other_ people.

BART:

Oh.

Panel 4. MAX and BART load two more sandbags atop a barrier which has grown since PAGE FIVE.

MAX:

I've seen you _grow_, Bart.

MAX:

Five minutes ago, you made a joke about yourself. You never used to do that.

Panel 5. As MAX talks, BART is still a bit anxious and uncertain. His thought balloon shows his memory of a paper he's just received back from PROFESSOR McDONNEL.

MAX:

I think you _can_ handle college.

BART (quietly, little letters):

I hope so.

BART (thought balloon, note in red ink on a college paper he's holding in his hand):

Mr. Allen—

See me in my office after Monday's class.

—Prof. M

•

PAGE EIGHT (three panels)

Panel 1. BART and MAX at superspeed add more sandbags to the wall, lengthening it.

BART:

How come _you_ know so much about college? _You_ never went.

MAX:

No, it wasn't an _option_ for most people back when I was your age.

Panel 2. Reverse angle shot of MAX and BART from the other side of the sandbag wall, showing that the river has risen halfway up the wall.

MAX:

I had to learn the same lessons in _other places_.

Panel 3. Overhead image of BART and MAX running away from the sandbag wall they've built. The view's height and distance reveal that the wall is holding a flooded river back from a ghost town that dates from MAX's youth.

MAX:

Those places still mean a lot to me.


	5. Slow Suffering in School

PAGE ONE (five panels)

Panel 1. BART ALLEN is sitting in his Intro to Criminal Justice class at Keystone Community College, holding a stapled essay and looking worried. Off panel, PROFESSOR McDONNEL is lecturing; her word balloon sprawls over the top of this panel and the next.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

…faced with _real_ cases, we must ask: Do the _theories_ apply? Do different theories suggest _conflicting_ or _complementary_ approaches? Do they all lead to what we consider a _just result?_

Panel 2. BART's view of the essay he's holding. As in the previous installment, PROFESSOR McDONNEL's note appears in red ink. Stlll off panel, she keeps talking.

NOTE ON PAPER:

Mr. Allen—

See me in my office after Monday's class.

—Prof. M

Panel 3. Title and credits across the middle of the page.

TITLE:

Slow Suffering in School

CREDITS

Panel 4. PROFESSOR McDONNEL addresses the class.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:.

We'll _test_ the theories we're studying on _real_ cases here in Keystone. These will be group projects, so divide yourselves into teams of _three_.

Panel 5. BART turns to two young women sitting nearby, JEANNE-MARIE LaFLUME and KATHIE NEWMAN, with a grin.

BART:

Hi, I'm Bart! I've done all the reading, so-

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. The young women turn BART away, NEWMAN putting her hand on the desk of a genial, handsome lug named PAULIE STOCHOWSKY.

LaFLUME:

We know.

NEWMAN:

We've got our three.

Panel 2. Undaunted, BART spots another two classmates, two twentysomething African-Americans named MYCHAL CRAFTS and JANET PARSON. They both have the bearing of recent military veterans.

Panel 3. Feet pumping, BART slides his chair over to CRAFTS and PARSONS.

SFX:

SSSKreeeeeek!

Panel 4. As the second pairing turns BART away, he looks miffed. In the background, PROFESSOR McDONNEL observes.

CRAFTS:

Sorry. We're already in a study group with someone.

Panel 5. BILLY JAKE HERSEY comes into the classroom, and PROFESSOR McDONNEL addresses him. BART brightens up.

HERSEY:

Sorry I'm late.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Take a seat, Mr. Hersey. You're on a team with Ms. Desiderio and Mr. Allen.

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. HERSEY objects to his assignment. BART squints at him suspiciously while MARINA DESIDERIO raises her eyebrows.

HERSEY:

What, is there a penalty for having an extra-long shift?

HERSEY (to DESIDERIO):

Not referring to you, ma'am.

DESIDERIO:

I should hope not.

Panel 2. PROFESSOR snaps at HERSEY, who grudgingly backs down.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Mr. Hersey, you're a county deputy. What do you say when the sheriff gives you an assignment you didn't ask for?

HERSEY:

"Yes, sir."

Panel 3. PROFESSOR McDONNEL addresses the class as BART, HERSEY, and DESIDERIO grumpily size each other up.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Good answer, Mr. Hersey.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Our system depends on people _working together_ as professionals. It's not about having fun or making friends. It's about _effecting justice._

Panel 4. DESIDERIO, HERSEY, and BART warily group their desks together and make plans.

DESIDERIO:

All right, men, let's effect some justice. We'd better pick a project we can _all_ stand.

DESIDERIO:

How about meeting at the Sundollar Coffee on Fox Street right after class?

BART:

I can't. Professor McDonnel asked to see me then.

Panel 5. HERSEY grumbles at BART, who brightens.

HERSEY:

*Snort* Figures-teacher's pet.

BART:

Ooh! You think?

HERSEY:

That wasn't a compliment.

Panel 6. BART pouts at HERSEY while DESIDERIO makes peace.

DESIDERIO:

So we'll meet half an hour _after_ class. And let's try to be professional.

HERSEY:

"Yes, ma'am."

•

PAGE FOUR (five panels)

Panel 1. PROFESSOR McDONNEL is behind her desk in her small office, speaking to BART, who nervously holds his paper with her note on it.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

I saw _two_ big problems with your draft, Mr. Allen. First, I hadn't _assigned_ a paper.

Panel 2. BART tries to explain while PROFESSOR McDONNEL carries on.

BART:

The syllabus says "Research Projects Due" at the end of the term. And I'm…not good at waiting.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Those research projects are for the _teams_ we just formed.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

More important, your draft is simply a rewrite of chapter 11 in the textbook.

Panel 3. BART gets more nervous and defensive as PROFESSOR McDONNEL gets to the crux of the problem.

BART:

But I footnoted that chapter! And I came up with all new words!

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Your paper didn't show original _thinking_.

BART:

I _thought_ of all those new words.

Panel 4. PROFESSOR McDONNEL takes a kinder approach as BART tries to keep up.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Mr. Allen, you've obviously studied the textbook carefully. You answer every question in class.

BART:

How many points have I got?

Panel 5. PROFESSOR McDONNEL holds up a copy of the class textbook.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

My best students don't simply _memorize_ this textbook.

BART:

Then why did you make us _buy_ it?

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

My best students _study_ this textbook. They _explore_ it, they _assess_ it, they _argue_ with it.

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. PROFESSOR McDONNEL walks BART out the door of her office.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

I'm not trying to catch you _cheating_, Mr. Allen. I want to catch you _thinking_.

Panel 2. BART steps out of the classroom building, a little dazed as his mind starts working harder. His phone goes off in his pocket with its ringtone of a frenetic guitar riff.

BART CAP (captions expressing BART's thoughts):

Thinking. I can do that.

Panel 3. Little panel of BART's view of his phone as it rings again. Its screen identifies the caller as "Peter K movieguy".

BART CAP:

I thought through that J.L.A. mystery.

Panel 4. Little panel with close-up of BART cheerfully answering his phone.

BART:

Peter?

Panel 5. Pull back to show that PETER is standing outside the same classroom building with HANNAH DINH, a pudgy Asian-American undergrad with spiked hair, sleeveless T-shirt, black jeans. PETER carries his camera, and HANNAH has a bag of recording equipment slung over one shoulder. BART is in the background, realizing with alarm that he's in danger of blowing his secret identity.

PETER (big letters):

Dude!

BART'S PHONE (electronic balloon, smaller letters in same style):

Dude!

•

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. BART runs around the corner of the classroom building to a more private place.

BART CAP:

Too close! Too close!

PETER (electronic word balloon coming over BART's phone):

I found a _sound guy_ for our movie!

Panel 2. Walking along Fox Street while speaking on the phone, PETER turns to HANNAH.

PETER:

Or d'you want me to call you "sound gal"? "Sound woman"?

HANNAH:

Sound _goddess_.

Panel 3. PETER goes back to speaking on the phone. HANNAH, who is a woman of few words and no illusions, rolls her eyes a little at what he's saying.

PETER:

Our film professor had _great_ things to say about the movie.

HANNAH:

Eh.

PETER:

But he says if we call it "Kid Flash Investigates," it needs to show more _investigating_. Carrying around corneas's fine, but you gotta do more _investigating_.

Panel 4. Behind the building, BART answers a bit defensively.

BART:

Hey, investigations don't just fall into your lap! I gotta find a _crime_ first.

BART CAP:

And _you_ said your family was _off limits_.

Panel 5. PETER, still on the phone, and HANNAH peek into a small branch of the Keystone National Bank. Inside, one teller has his hands in the air while the other hands a satchel to a BANK ROBBER in sunglasses and pulled-down cap.

PETER:

Yeah, well, I think I got one for you, dude.

•

PAGE SEVEN (four panels)

Panel 1. The BANK ROBBER hustles out of the bank carrying a bulging satchel. PETER and HANNAH crouch at one side, filming.

Panel 2. Big panel. Wearing his Kid Flash outfit, BART rushes in and grabs one handle of the satchel. PETER and HANNAH continue filming.

BART CAP:

Let's _investigate_ what's in this bag!

Panel 3. The satchel bursts opens, flinging up cash and a dye tube.

BART CAP:

Ha! Just what I expected!

Panel 4. The dye tube explodes in a burst of pink.

BART CAP:

Okay, didn't see _that_ coming.

•

PAGE EIGHT (two panels)

Panel 1. Big panel showing the aftermath of BART's arrival. He's speaking triumphantly to PETER's camera as HANNAH stands nearby aiming her microphone at him. In the background, police officers are leading the handcuffed BANK ROBBER away. The bank tellers are gathering up the scattered cash. There are splashes of pink dye everywhere: on the money, the buildings, the sidewalks, the people who were outside when BART arrived.

BART:

I got a tip from one of my _confidential informants_ that a suspect might be robbing this bank!

BART:

So I rushed over and did a quick _investigation!_

BART:

Then it took only _2.5 seconds_ to apprehend the suspect!

Panel 2. BART in the foreground looks out the corners of his eyes nervously. He's spotted HERSEY and DESIDERIO in the background, sitting at a table in front of the Sundollar Coffee outlet beside the bank. DESIDERIO is looking at her watch. HERSEY is drumming his fingers on the table impatiently. They're both been splashed a little with the pink dye.

BART:

'Cause Kid Flash is always _on time! _

BART CAP:

Oops.


	6. Glowering at Each Other with Hate

PAGE ONE (four panels)

Panel 1. BART in his civilian clothing arrives in a rush at the Sundollar Coffee outlet where his classmates BILLY JAKE HERSEY and MARINA DESIDERIO have been waiting at an outdoor table. The scene, including walls, sidewalk, table, and umbrella, has been splashed with pink dye.

BART:

Sorry I'm late! The police wouldn't let me through! I have _no idea_ what happened here.

BART CAP (expressing BART's thoughts):

Meeting my "Intro to Criminal Justice" project team.

Panel 2. HERSEY has stood up from the table and is tossing his pink-splashed coffee cup into the trash. DESIDERIO is standing up to follow him as BART looks on.

HERSEY:

What happened is now we need coffee that isn't _pink_.

BART CAP:

Deputy Hersey.

HERSEY:

Some dipwad tried to rob that bank. One of them Flashes ran in and grabbed him.

DESIDERIO:

The _young_ one-Kid Flash.

BART CAP:

Mrs. Desiderio.

BART:

Really? I bet Kid Flash caught the guy! I heard they're making a movie abou-

Panel 3. HERSEY heads into the Sundollar Coffee while BART seethes at his back.

HERSEY:

Aah, all those costume guys are glory hogs.

BART:

You don't even know them _all!_

BART CAP:

I like Mrs. D. _more_.

Panel 4. MRS. DESIDERIO enters the Sundollar as BART holds the door for her.

DESIDERIO:

This one brought his own _camera crew_.

BART (small letters):

Maybe that's _useful_.

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. Inside the Sundollar Coffee, DESIDERIO has her order, BART is taking is cup from BARISTA 1, and in the background HERSEY is giving his order to BARISTA 2.

BARISTA 1:

Chamomile tea?

BART:

Mine! Thanks!

BART CAP:

The speedster's drink, Max always said.

HERSEY:

Small black coffee.

BARISTA 2:

Kenyan Dark Double Roast? Sumatra-Aceh Blend? Colombian Mild Supreme?

HERSEY:

Small. Black. Coffee.

Panel 2. DESIDERIO has sat down at a table and pulled a stack of papers from her notebook as BART comes to the table. HERSEY is now at the pick-up spot, waiting for his coffee.

DESIDERIO:

Professor McDonnel gave us a list of possible case studies.

BART:

Ooh, we should _investigate_ an unsolved crime!

DESIDERIO:

Hmm. Only one on her list: murder of a young man-

Panel 3. HERSEY, carrying his small black coffee, joins BART and DESIDERIO at the table.

HERSEY:

Unsolved murder? Yeah, rookie, that'll be easy.

BART:

If you know all about investigating _already_, how come you're taking this course?

Panel 4. Close-up of HERSEY.

HERSEY:

Because this state decided, _after_ I've been working the county _nearly ten years_, that now deputies gotta have a college diploma.

HERSEY:

And the only intro class with space this semester is here in Keystone, so I drive _eighty minutes_ here and back every session.

Panel 5. Pull back to show HERSEY and BART frowning at each other over the table with DESIDERIO looking on.

HERSEY:

So what you think about _that_, junior?

BART CAP:

I think I can deduce why you're so _grouchy_.

•

PAGE THREE (seven panels)

Panel 1. DESIDERIO speaks up to HERSEY as BART looks on.

DESIDERIO:

I think you're _fortunate_, Deputy. You still have a _job_.

BART CAP:

Wow. I like Mrs. D. a _lot_ more.

Panel 2. Close up of DESIDERIO talking calmly but firmly.

DESIDERIO:

I've got a social work degree. I worked for Youth Outreach for over _twenty_ years. In May the city cut its budget, and my whole department was _eliminated_.

DESIDERIO:

So now I'm trying to transition into _Probation_ work. Because when this city spends nothing on keeping kids out of trouble, that's going to be a _growth area_.

Panel 3. HERSEY looks impressed and gives BART a verbal dig.

HERSEY:

Hmph. Bet _your_ story's not that good, rookie.

BART:

I'm not a rookie! I work with the Teen-

BART CAP:

Don't say Titans! Don't say Titans!

Panel 4. BART, frustrated and embarrassed by how little he can say, finishes a sentence that leaves his teammates unimpressed.

BART:

-Police…Helpers…Group.

DESIDERIO:

That's nice, dear.

HERSEY:

You must have a merit badge and everything.

Panel 5. Close up of BART.

BART:

And, and, and my grandfather worked-works for the Central City Police!

BART:

He's a _forensic scientist!_

Panel 6. As HERSEY takes a swig on his coffee and makes a dismissive comment, BART fumes silently.

HERSEY:

A lab guy? Is that real police?

BART CAP:

Ilike Mrs. D. a _whole lot_ more.

Panel 7. Credits space across bottom of page.

TITLE:

**Glowering at Each Other with Hate **

CREDITS

•

PAGE FOUR (seven panels)

Panel 1. DESIDERIO takes control of the conversation since BART and HERSEY are just glaring at each other.

DESIDERIO:

All right, now that we know each other, let's look at this case. Maybe there's _one_ thing we _can_ agree on.

Panel 2. As DESIDERIO reads, BART smirks at how he's won this skirmish against HERSEY.

DESIDERIO:

Raemond Jaxon Ferguson. Eighteen years old. Father unknown, mother died when he was twelve, in the foster system for six years. Found shot in the head in a condemned tenement on Parson Street. Survived in a coma for a week.

Panel 3. HERSEY quizzes DESIDERIO, who continues to consult the papers.

HERSEY:

Hmph. Criminal record?

DESIDERIO:

He'd just turned eighteen.

HERSEY:

Juvenile record?

DESIDERIO:

Yes, but sealed.

HERSEY:

Knew it.

Panel 4. HERSEY expresses his snap judgment. BART has a thought balloon over his head, showing the blue cooler he carried to the hospital in Coast City; on it are the words "DONOR: FERGUSON, R. J."

HERSEY:

Junior gangbanger gets shot in a drug house. What's new?

BART:

He was an organ donor!

Panel 5. HERSEY rolls his eyes, and BART gets snappish.

HERSEY:

Oh, that breaks open the whole case!

BART:

Maybe it does! Maybe Raemond Ferguson was the _only genetic match_ for some _nasty old rich guy_ who wanted his, his _corneas_ or something!

Panel 6. HERSEY is at his most dismissive, and BART fumes more than ever.

HERSEY:

Kid, you read too many comic books.

BART CAP:

I like Mrs. D. _so much_ more.

Panel 7. DESIDERIO speaks up, and BART reacts with delighted surprise.

DESIDERIO:

Actually, Bart's got a point.

BART CAP:

_So much more!_

•

PAGE FIVE (six panels)

Panel 1. As DESIDERIO speaks, HERSEY is standing up from the table and tossing his paper coffee cup into a nearby trash bin. BART looks pleased.

DESIDERIO:

With no relatives, Raemond had to _sign himself up_ as an organ donor. Which suggests more social responsibility than a typical "gangbanger."

HERSEY:

Okay, okay. Look, I got a drive ahead of me.

HERSEY:

You guys find a good lead on this Ferguson case by next class, and I'll go along with this…investigation.

BART CAP:

Yes! I win!

Panel 2. The team is standing outside the Sundollar Coffee. Night has started to fall. HERSEY is walking off to his car with a wave. DESIDERIO surprises BART with a challenging remark.

DESIDERIO:

The professor's file doesn't say anything about organ donation.

BART CAP:

Think fast!

Panel 3. BART shares his ideas with DESIDERIO as he walks her to her car.

BART:

I, uh, volunteer at Keystone Central Hospital.

BART:

I don't _really_ believe that theory about the_ old rich guy_. I think we should look for Raemond Ferguson's _arch-enemies_.

Panel 4. DESIDERIO reacts skeptically, and BART doesn't notice.

DESIDERIO:

"Arch-enemies"?

BART:

Yeah! Too bad his juvenile record was destroyed on his 18th birthday.

Panel 5. At her car DESIDERIO challenges BART with a question he's never considered.

DESIDERIO:

You believe that file was destroyed exactly the way the law says?

BART (small letters):

Yes, actually.

Panel 6. DESIDERIO explains real life to BART, who gets an idea.

DESIDERIO:

Here's how things _really_ work, Bart. Youth Services doesn't have enough staff to shred every file on every offender's 18th birthday.

DESIDERIO:

So each month they take all the files that _should_ be destroyed and move them into a locked room in the basement. Then once a year, when the state finally enacts its budget, they hire temps to shred everything.

BART:

Hmmm. This sounds like a job for _Kid Flash!_

•

PAGE SIX (four panels)

Panel 1. Long shot. Night has fallen. BART as Kid Flash is carrying PETER with his camera to a municipal office building in central Keystone.

PETER:

I found someone who wants to be our _editor_. He's a film major at Saunders College who saw the trailer on YourVids.

BART:

Cool.

Panel 2. Inside the office building, BART is vibrating through a locked door while PETER waits outside, looking bored.

BART:

Okay, maybe _this_ room is the right one.

Panel 3. BART opens the door from the inside. The room behind him is dim.

BART:

Ha! Found it! Now all I have to do is…

Panel 4. Big panel of BART turning to take a better look at the room as PETER leans in the doorway. The room is full of stuffed file cabinets, file boxes stacked on shelves, file boxes piled on old office furniture.

BART:

…find the right file?

•

PAGE SEVEN (six panels)

Panel 1. This panel shows what PETER is filming. BART riffles through a file cabinet at superspeed.

Panel 2. Another view through the camera. BART riffles through a file box at superspeed.

Panel 3. Interrupted while riffling through another file box, BART turns to the camera to reply to PETER.

PETER (off panel, behind the camera):

Can you speed it up a bit?

BART:

I'm _trying!_

Panel 4. BART is peering into a file cabinet drawer.

BART:

Here's a big folder for a guy with the same name as _you_.

PETER (off panel):

Now that's just _weird_.

Panel 5. BART pulls a thin folder out of one box in triumph.

BART:

Found it! Raemond Jaxon Ferguson!

Panel 6. BART proudly holds the folder up to the camera.

BART:

I was expecting to _investigate_ something _thicker_, but I found it!

•

PAGE EIGHT (three panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash runs through the streets of Keystone at night, carrying the folder and PETER with his camera.

PETER:

The editor guy shares an apartment on Broome Street. I said we'd come by tonight.

Panel 2. Now on his own feet, PETER leads BART into a Victorian house that's been turned into undergraduate apartments.

PETER:

I'll film you reading that folder inside, okay? The light'll be better.

BART:

'kay.

Panel 3. PETER ushers BART into the bedroom of PRESTON LINDSAY's apartment, which is decorated with posters for art films. PRESTON is a blond college sophomore with a dramatic haircut and an earring. He's sitting at a computer that has a big screen and processor for editing video footage. BART is excited to recognize an old friend.

PETER:

His name's Preston Lindsay-

BART:

_**Preston! **_


	7. The Tangled WebWork of Names and Dates

PAGE ONE (three panels)

Panel 1. As in the last panel of the previous installment, BART ALLEN as Kid Flash is happily greeting his old Manchester friend PRESTON LINDSAY in the latter's apartment bedroom. PETER KARLSON, who's making a movie with Kid Flash, looks on curiously.

BART:

_**Preston! **_

Panel 2. A tangled decision chart shows BART's thinking in this instant.

BART'S THINKING:

Did I just yell, "Preston"?

= No = Good job! [cartoon Kid Flash grinning and giving a thumbs-up]

= Yes = Oops! [cartoon Kid Flash grimaces]

Should Kid Flash know Preston?

= Yes = Wrong! He shouldn't.

= No =

Is Preston smart enough to notice?

= No = Whew!

= Yes =

Can Preston recognize Kid Flash from Manchester?

= No = I look totally different now! [cartoon Impulse, looking very much like Kid Flash]

= Yes =

Can Preston connect Impulse/Kid Flash to Bart Allen?

= No = We're totally different! [cartoon Bart, looking very much like Kid Flash]

= Yes =

Can Preston keep a secret?

= Yes = What a pal! But could Preston give away the secret by accident? = Yes =

= No =

Uh oh! Can Peter figure out something's weird?

= Yes =

Uh oh! Can Peter tell his uncle?

= Yes =

Uh oh! Can Peter's uncle tell his customers?

= Yes!

Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think!

Panel 3. Title and credits space across the bottom of the page.

TITLE:

**The Tangled Web-Work of Names, Dates, Post-Office Addresses**

CREDITS

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. BART is babbling desperately to PRESTON, grin still frozen on his face, as PETER looks on.

BART:

I'm excited because I've _never_ met anyone named _Preston_ before! Maybe that's a common name wherever it is _you_ come from, but I've _never, ever_ been there!

Panel 2. BART pumps PRESTON's hand while looking away to hide his features as he continues to babble.

BART:

It's great to have you editing our movie, Preston or whatever-your-name-is! Sorry I won't be coming by a lot to talk to you, but in the next three to six months I'm going to be _busy busy busy!_

Panel 3. BART leans toward the door and mimes getting a radio call.

BART:

I was gonna do some _investigating_ in front of Peter's camera tonight, but now I'm getting an emergency call from the _Titans!_ And the _JLA!_

BART:

So…Bye!

Panel 4. PETER and PRESTON watch BART's crackly trail fade away through the door.

Panel 5. PETER turns to PRESTON.

PETER:

So you see what I've got to work with.

PRESTON:

Oh yeah.

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash is running home at night, still holding the folder he's appropriated from Keystone Youth Services.

BART CAP (showing BART's thoughts):

≥Whew!≤ That came out good.

Panel 2. In the shadows behind the Garricks' house, BART has pulled out his cell phone and is thumb-typing speedily.

BART CAP:

Gotta tell Carol.

Panel 3. Close up of BART's phone display, showing his text message as his thumb hits the button to send it.

BART'S TEXT MESSAGE:

y dint u tel me preston lindsay goz 2 collge n kystn?

BART CAP:

Send.

Panel 4. In his bedroom, BART sits waiting for a response, staring at his cell phone on his desk. He's still in his Kid Flash outfit, but he's pushed back the mask and taken off the gloves. He's tapping his fingers and one foot, all jittery.

BART CAP:

Come on come on come on! What's taking you?

Panel 5. Close up of CAROL's cell phone as her fingers type a reply.

CAROL'S TEXT MESSAGE:

didnt know abt preston. lost touch w/most bama guys since leaving 4 sci acdmy. wade stays in touch w/every1. his # is 334-55[cut off]

Panel 6. Back in BART's bedroom, his cell phone receives CAROL's text, but he's fallen into open-mouthed slumber on the bed.

•

PAGE FOUR (six panels)

Panel 1. It's morning. BART rushes out of the Garricks' house in his Kid Flash clothes to join MAX MERCURY, who is running by in full uniform. BART is stuffing the folder into his backpack as he runs.

BART CAP:

Training Day!

Panel 2. Inset. MAX and BART are standing side by side, looking down into the foreground, both smiling.

MAX:

Ready?

Panel 3. Full-figure view of IREY WEST in her Impulse costume, looking very proud. Her brother JAI looks on glumly from the background.

IREY:

_Ready!_

Panel 4. MAX lays out his plan for IREY's training that day.

MAX:

We'll start with laps around the Great Lakes.

MAX:

Bart, we'll be back in three hours.

Panel 5. BART reacts with hurt disbelief as MAX and IREY disappear into the distance at superspeed. JAI comments in the background.

BART:

_What?_ You're leaving me _behind?_

JAI:

Now you know _I_ feel.

Panel 6. Inside the Wests' house, JAI mopes while BART's mind is still half focused on being left behind.

JAI:

_No one's_ interested in a guy with no _powers_.

BART:

That's not true, Jai. Some of my best friends are _totally powerless!_

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. JAI and BART are slumped on opposite sides of the living room, each stewing in resentment. BART has changed into his regular clothes.

BART:

You wanna play some videogames?

JAI:

You'd just let me win.

BART:

That's what you _told_ me to do.

JAI:

But it's no fun if I _know._

Panel 2. BART sits up while JAI stays slumped.

BART:

So I _won't_ let you win!

JAI:

Then I'd _lose_, and that's no fun, either.

Panel 3. BART is becoming more exasperated as he becomes more bored.

BART:

Okay, you have any _homework_ I can help with?

JAI:

I did it already.

Panel 4. BART seats himself at a table and pulls the folder out of his backpack.

BART:

Well, _I_ have homework to do.

BART:

I'm taking a _college class_ in _Criminal Justice_.

Panel 5. JAI has come over to the table to watch, still without showing much interest. BART is doing a slow burn.

JAI:

I know. Dad was laughing about that on Saturday.

•

PAGE SIX (six panels)

Panel 1. BART explains to JAI the very hard, very important work he's doing.

BART:

Look. This is a file about a guy named Raemond Ferguson who got _killed_ six weeks ago. I have to read it for _clues_ about who his _enemy_ was.

Panel 2. BART flips through pages and scribbles on a pad at speed as JAI watches.

BART:

So I'm writing down all the _street names_ in the file to see what the _initials_ spell. And adding up all the _dates_ and converting that number to _binary_ and spelling it out in _ASCII_-

Panel 3. JAI peers dubiously at some of the pages BART's already read.

JAI:

That looks kind of _complicated_.

BART:

This is how we _investigate_ unsolved crimes, Jai.

Panel 4. BART does a bit of boasting.

BART:

See, I've met the _Riddler!_ I helped capture the _Joker!_ I work with _Robin!_

JAI:

That angry kid?

BART:

No, the real one.

Panel 5. JAI starts pointing out things in the file to BART.

JAI:

Okay, but it looks to me like Raemond Ferguson's enemy was this guy _Darrin Chambers_.

JAI:

They had a _fight_ two years ago. That's why Raemond was on _probation_, and Darrin went to _juvenile detention_.

Panel 6. JAI continues thinking out loud as BART looks on in surprise.

JAI:

And look, here's Darrin's _birthday_. Seven weeks ago he turned _eighteen_-and _got out of jail_.

BART CAP:

Wait. What?

•

PAGE SEVEN (four panels)

Panel 1. JAI skeptically accuses BART. In response, BART is imagining the scene in Panel 2.

JAI:

Wait a minute! That wasn't hard.

JAI:

You _let me _figure that out, didn't you? So I feel like I can do stuff without _powers?_

Panel 2. BART's thought balloon shows him considering one way he could respond to JAI:

BART:

Yes, that's exactly what I did. I'm _definitely_ not that stupid.

BART:

I was just letting the little kid win.

Panel 3. Back in real life, BART fesses up to JAI.

BART:

No, you really did spot the _prime suspect_ before me.

JAI:

Yeah, right.

Panel 4. JAI is suddenly hugging BART, who's pleasantly surprised.

JAI:

Thanks, Cousin Bart!

•

PAGE EIGHT (six panels)

Panel 1. Once again in his Kid Flash uniform with backpack, BART is outside the Wests' house, bidding JAI goodbye. In the background, MAX is giving some final advice to IREY, who looks mentally exhausted.

BART:

What I _should've_ said, Jai, was that most of my _very best_ friends in school _never knew_ that I had powers. They liked _me_.

JAI:

Okay, Cousin Bart, I get it. See you Saturday?

BART:

Yeah!

Panel 2. BART is running home, pulling out his cell phone.

BART CAP:

Those were great guys back at school.

Panel 3. Close up of BART's phone as he types a message, which scrolls off the bottom of the screen..

BART'S MESSAGE:

hey wade its bart allen! No rlly! carol b gave me this # jst thnkin bout gd times back n mnchstr [cut off]

BART CAP:

Send.

Panel 4. Close up of another cell phone held by another white kid as we see the rest of the message.

BART'S MESSAGE CONTINUED:

[cut off] n college now cant get 2gthr busybusybusy but want u 2 kno i remembr!

Panel 5. WADE from Manchester reads the message on his phone. He's of college age, with a grungy little first moustache and goatee. Instead of big round glasses, he's wearing a pair with thin rectangular lenses.

WADE:

Huh.

Panel 6. WADE is talking on his cell phone.

WADE:

Hey, Pres, it's Wade. You'll _never_ guess who just sent me a text-_Bart Allen!_ And get this-his line's got a _Keystone area code!_ So keep an eye out for him there, okay?


	8. One of Those AweInspiring Marvels

PAGE ONE (four panels)

Panel 1. Late evening. Big panel showing the interior of an SUV. Detective MARCUS TIMMINS is at the wheel; he's thirty years old, African-American, fit and casually dressed. In the front passenger seat is MARINA DESIDERIO, middle-aged social worker. Sitting behind the driver is BILLY JAKE HERSEY, deputy sheriff from a rural county. Sitting behind DESIDERIO is BART ALLEN in his civilian clothing, looking very excited to be there.

BART CAP (expressing BART's thoughts):

Ridealong! With a police detective!

BART CAP:

Even Deputy Hersey agreed we should investigate Darrin Chambers.

BART CAP:

So Mrs. D. got Detective Timmins to bring us to his neighborhood.

Panel 2. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**One of Those Awe-Inspiring Marvels, a Detective**

CREDITS

Panel 3. TIMMINS briefs his ridealong guests about the suspect they're investigating.

TIMMINS:

Your man Chambers is known here as "Little G.G."

TIMMINS:

_Big_ G.G. is Greg Grantham. He manages most of the vice in North Keystone. Few years back, he saw something in little Darrin, took him on like a baby brother.

Panel 4. View of the left side of the SUV with TIMMINS driving and HERSEY looking critically out the back seat.

TIMMINS:

After juvy, Little G.G.'s been lying lower than the asphalt, but word is he came back to his old block.

HERSEY:

Yeah, lots of suspicious activity here.

•

PAGE TWO (seven panels)

Panel 1. Looking into the rear-view mirror, TIMMINS admonishes HERSEY for projecting his assumptions onto the neighborhood.

TIMMINS:

Most suspicious thing here is the SUV rolling slowly down the street with the two crackers in the back.

Panel 2. Right side of the SUV. HERSEY objects, and TIMMINS banters back. DESIDERIO smirks a bit. BART is oblivious to the conversation, peering through goggles out the window.

HERSEY:

Hey!

TIMMINS:

Face the facts, deputy-you blend in like shrimp on cheesecake.

Panel 3. BART's view of a side street. We see the outline of five men walking toward us, though they look like green blobs against a dark background with some flashes of light at the windows and other sources of heat.

BART:

Ooh-aliens!

Panel 4. DESIDERIO and TIMMINS peek at the five tough young men walking by while BART peers at his goggles.

DESIDERIO:

Those are night-vision goggles, Bart.

BART:

Oh, yeah.

TIMMINS:

And those guys are from Big G.G.'s crew.

Panel 5. View from the SUV of the five men going in to one apartment building.

TIMMINS (off panel):

Bet they're coming to meet Little G.G. for a job. We can follow.

BART CAP:

Stake out!

Panel 6. Similar view of the door of that apartment building. No one has appeared.

BART CAP:

Come on come on come on.

Panel 7. Window on the fourth floor of that apartment building is broken from the inside.

SFX:

Skraasshhh!

BART CAP:

Ooh.

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. DOROTHY EARLE, an older black woman, rushes out the apartment-building door. She's wearing a house robe and carrying a young yellow kitten.

EARLE:

They went up to beat that boy! They're 'bout to kill him!

Panel 2. TIMMINS has jumped out of his car, detective shield hanging around his neck. In one hand he has his radio, in the other his pistol pointed up in the air.

TIMMINS:

I'm on it like brown on good rice, ma'am!

TIMMINS (into radio):

This is Timmins. Four-seven at 2701 Carmine Boulevard. I need backup.

Panel 3. HERSEY gets out the back of the car, also holding his gun. TIMMINS is concentrating on the window above, sizing up his tactical options.

HERSEY:

Got your back, Detective.

TIMMINS:

You're out of your jurisdiction, Deputy.

Panel 4. HERSEY and TIMMINS argue.

HERSEY:

I'm law-enforcement on scene. I've got an obligation!

TIMMINS:

You've got an obligation to listen to me. I'm not leaving Marina _or_ my car alone.

Panel 5. HERSEY gestures through the open driver's door of the car at DESIDERIO.

HERSEY:

Rookie can look after her.

DESIDERIO:

We'll look after _each other_. Right, Bart?

Panel 6. View of the back seat of the SUV where BART was sitting. But that seat is empty, and he's nowhere to be seen.

DESIDERIO (off panel):

Bart?

•

PAGE FOUR (four panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash bursts into the apartment on the fourth floor, flattening one crew member as he slams open the door and bowling over two more.

SFX:

Bam!

THUG 2:

Ooof!

Panel 2. BART subdues the two crew members who are beating up a young African-American man crouched on the floor.

SFX:

Whop!

SFX:

Clonk

Panel 3. BART stands between the crew members, all staggering and sprawled on the floor, and their victim, whose face is bruised and cut. He snarls at the gang, trying to look intimidating.

BART:

All right, which one of you is called "Little G.G."?

Panel 4. BART's face registers surprise as the victim, DARRIN CHAMBERS, speaks from behind him.

CHAMBERS:

_I _am.

•

PAGE FIVE (seven panels)

Panel 1. Image of footage of BART as Kid Flash speaking to the camera on a computer monitor.

BART (electronic balloon):

…so now my _team's_ investigating our _prime suspect_ in the _murder of Raemond Ferguson!_

Panel 2. Pull back to show that PETER KARLSON, HANNAH DINH, and PRESTON LINDSAY are watching footage for "Kid Flash Investigates!" on PRESTON's computer.

PRESTON:

He likes talking to the camera, doesn't he?

PETER and HANNAH:

Oh yeah.

Panel 3. Pointing at the screen, PRESTON explains a technique as PETER and HANNAH look on. The footage is on pause.

PRESTON:

We can fade in music here to start a transition into the action scene.

PETER:

One of those fast guitar tunes. _He_ chose the music.

Panel 4. PRESTON turns to PETER with a question.

PRESTON:

How big is your budget for buying music rights?

HANNAH:

≥Snort≤ Budget?

PETER:

Uhh. I guess I could download the tunes from a _pay_ site.

Panel 5. PRESTON realizes he has to explain some legal basics.

PRESTON:

That'd be good, but I mean getting legal _permission to use _the music. If you guys want to show this movie in the Flash Museum, music rights could cost _thousands of dollars_.

Panel 6. PETER's face expresses shock; this is more money than he's ever seriously considered spending in his life. HANNAH rolls her eyes. PRESTON offers an alternative.

PRESTON:

Or you could record _new_ music. That may not cost anything.

Panel 7. PETER seizes on this idea. PRESTON looks thoughtful as he considers one possibility from his past.

PETER:

Yeah! You know any fast guitar players?

•

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. Detective TIMMINS comes through the doorway of the apartment, gun drawn. Pointing to the thugs and CHAMBERS, BART explains what he did, though he still doesn't understand the situation.

TIMMINS:

Police, freeze!

TIMMINS:

All right, Kid Flash, why'd you play human beatbox on these guys?

BART:

I only beat up _those five!_ 'Cause they were beating up _this_ guy! Who is-get this-Little G.G.!

Panel 2. CHAMBERS explains the situation to TIMMINS as BART tries to catch up.

CHAMBERS:

Don't call me that any more. I'm outta that life.

CHAMBERS:

That's why this crew came here. "Exit interview."

THUG 1:

_Final_ exit, snitch.

Panel 3. HERSEY arrives in the room, half out of breath.

HERSEY:

Goddamn. We don't have so many steps in all of Kanigher County. What'd I miss?

Panel 4. One of the crew, DIZ, flings out his arms, which he can make unusually long and flat like paddles or wings. He knocks HERSEY into BART.

HERSEY:

Ooof!

BART:

Hey!

Panel 5. DIZ jumps out the broken window, his long flat arms first.

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. Tall panel with the bird's-eye view of DIZ spinning to the ground with his long, flat arms extended as glider wings, like one of those recalled Sky Dancer dolls. He's a metahuman with the rather limited power of being able to make his arms into big flat paddles or wings.

BART (off panel):

Whoa.

Panel 2. TIMMINS and BART peer out the window in surprise, watching DIZ on the ground.

TIMMINS:

He's heading for my car!

BART:

Oooh!

Panel 3. BART races down the stairs. Perhaps a cutaway view of the apartment building.

BART CAP:

Mrs. D.!

Panel 4. DIZ has tried to enter the driver's door of the SUV, but rears back in shock.

SFX:

ZZZZzzittt!

Panel 5. BART arrives at the SUV and finds DESIDERIO holding a small electric stun gun while DIZ lies below them on the ground, semi-conscious.

DIZ (small, shaky letters, perhaps off-panel):

Owww.

BART CAP (admiring):

Mrs. D.!

•

PAGE EIGHT (six panels)

Panel 1. TIMMINS and HERSEY walk CHAMBERS toward the SUV. In the background, EMTs are loading DIZ into the back of an ambulance with a police officer accompanying him. A patrol car and a police van have also arrived at the apartment house, and other uniformed officers are leading the crew members out of the building.

TIMMINS:

We've got an unsolved crime to discuss with you, Darrin.

CHAMBERS:

I'm no snitch.

TIMMINS:

Tell that to your old friends back there. Consider this protective custody.

Panel 2. BART dashes up to the SUV from the rear, back in his civilian clothing.

BART:

What happened here? I have _no idea!_

Panel 3. TIMMINS castigates BART.

TIMMINS:

What were you thinking, kid, disappearing like a spot in a dry cleaner?

BART:

I went to call for backup!

Panel 4. HERSEY puts himself between BART and TIMMINS and offers his teammate some advice. As he speaks, the fast musical line that is BART's ringtone starts to play from his backpack.

HERSEY:

Rookie, you need to start carrying a cell-

Panel 5. BART pulls his cell phone out of his backpack as HERSEY, DESIDERIO, TIMMINS, and even CHAMBERS look on incredulously.

BART:

'Scuse me-I gotta take this.

Panel 6. PRESTON LINDSAY is in his room speaking on his phone.

BART (off panel, electronic balloon):

Hello?

PRESTON:

Is this Bart Allen? It's Preston Lindsay, from Manchester-how you doing? I hope you're not busy right now, but I want to know if you still play guitar.


	9. No Shelter Over His Homeless Head

PAGE ONE (four panels)

Panel 1. Close up of DARRIN CHAMBERS, showing his face and upper chest straight on, as in a videotaped interview. He's talking to people outside the frame. His face displays the marks of the beating in the last installment, with one of his eyes swollen and a bloody lip. But he's received care-one cut has been bandaged, and he's holding an ice pack against his head.

CHAMBERS:

Yeah, I heard how Raemond Ferguson got shot in the head.

Panel 2. Much like Panel 1. The tops of these four pages show separate moments of CHAMBERS's questioning by the Keystone City police while the lower panels show events happening outside that interrogation room. At this point CHAMBERS is hard, wary.

CHAMBERS:

No, it wasn't me. Day he got shot, I was working a full shift at the Keystone Motors cafeteria.

CHAMBERS:

You can call my boss. If he's mad at me for not showing up last three weeks, look at the time slips.

Panel 3. BART ALLEN as Kid Flash bursts into PETER KARLSON's bedroom apartment by vibrating through the wall. This naturally startles PETER and HANNAH DINH, who have been making out on the bed.

BART:

Good, you're both here! Grab the camera and all the sound thingies and meet me at Precinct 24!

Panel 4. Outside Precinct 24, BART as Kid Flash is waiting as HANNAH screeches up in her cheap student car, PETER holding the camera in the passenger seat.

SFX:

Skrreeeetch!

BART:

Come on come on! I've been waiting _eight minutes!_

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. Back to DARRIN CHAMBERS's questioning.

CHAMBERS:

Yeah, I had a fight with Rae Ferguson two years ago. That's why I went to juvy.

CHAMBERS:

But that wasn't my beef. I don't have no feelings against Rae.

Panel 2. DARRIN CHAMBERS still close up. He's starting to soften.

CHAMBERS:

He was putting up these signs, saying Big G.G. shouldn't be running dogfights. G.G. said someone had to shut the kid up. Back then I was G.G.'s little man.

Panel 3. BART as Kid Flash greets the DESK SERGEANT inside Precinct 24 with what he thinks is a charming heroic smile. Behind him are HANNAH, looking dubious as usual, and PETER, hiding his face with the camera.

BART:

Hi, I'm _Kid Flash!_ I helped bring in Darrin _"Little G.G."_ Chambers, and I'm here with my crew to _question_ him.

Panel 4. The DESK SERGEANT disappoints BART by reminding him of the rules.

DESK SERGEANT:

You know the Flash rules, kid-_we_ handle the questioning to keep everything legal.

Panel 5. BART, looking grumpy but not really surprised, heads for the precinct door. HANNAH and PETER follow, PETER trying to stay on his best behavior.

DESK SERGEANT:

Karlson! You keeping out of trouble?

PETER:

Yessir, sergeant, sir.

•

PAGE THREE (five panels)

Panel 1. Back to DARRIN CHAMBERS speaking to the police. He's starting to show more sadness.

CHAMBERS:

…read about dogfighting when I was in juvy. It's just nasty. Cruel. Mean for no goddamned reason.

Panel 2. The questioning proceeds. CHAMBERS is opening up more.

CHAMBERS:

I even read this psychology book that says a guy likes killing animals, there's something _broken_ in him, you know?

CHAMBERS:

Rae saw that. Saw that when I didn't.

Panel 3. Outside Precinct 24, BART as Kid Flash is saying goodbye to HANNAH and PETER, who are back in HANNAH's car. Neither of them looks happy.

BART:

Thanks, guys! Too bad that didn't work out, huh? I guess you can go back to whatever you were doing.

Panel 4. BART has reentered the police station, now in the same ordinary clothing he wore earlier in the evening. He rushes over to speak to MARINA DESIDERIO, sitting on a bench up in the detectives' squad room. But she holds up a finger for silence because she's on her cell phone.

BART:

So what's happening? Has Detective Timmins told-

Panel 5. BART pouts a little while DESIDERIO continues her cell-phone conversation.

DESIDERIO:

He's already worked a year of food service in the hall. All he needs is a stable environment.

•

PAGE FOUR (six panels)

Panel 1. CHAMBERS is continuing to speak in the interrogation room, now showing regret as he thinks about the years he's lost.

CHAMBERS:

One time, I wanted to be _just like Big G.G._ But now-that ain't me, man. That's why I didn't go back to see him after juvy.

Panel 2. CHAMBERS looks off to one side where (off panel) Detective MARCUS TIMMINS has reentered the interrogation room.

CHAMBERS:

So of course he sent his crew-

TIMMINS (off panel):

Good news, Darrin-your alibi checks. You're free to go.

Panel 3. TIMMINS escorts CHAMBERS out of the interrogation room into the waiting area where BART and DESIDERIO are sitting. DESIDERIO is about to hit the END button on her cell phone.

CHAMBERS:

Free to go _where_, man? G.G. don't give up.

TIMMINS:

I can put in for relocation money _if_ you give me informa-

CHAMBERS:

I'm no snitch. And I don't know nothing, anyway.

DESIDERIO:

Thanks, Lou. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

Panel 4. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**No Shelter Over His Homeless Head**

CREDITS

Panel 5. DESIDERIO explains what she's set up to CHAMBERS and TIMMINS as BART looks on. The men are all surprised and impressed.

DESIDERIO:

Darrin, I lined up a tryout for you with the food service at Saunders College. They're ready to give you a chance so you won't have to keep hiding in your old neighborhood.

Panel 6. As DESIDERIO continues talking, she looks pointedly at BART. He senses the attention but hasn't caught on to what she has in mind.

DESIDERIO:

Now all we need is someplace for Darrin to stay for a couple of nights.

•

PAGE FIVE (four panels)

Panel 1. TIMMINS is driving his SUV up to the GARRICKs' house at night. DESIDERIO is in the front passenger seat. BART is in the seat behind TIMMINS, thinking happily. CHAMBERS is on the other side of the back seat, looking around nervously.

TIMMINS:

This is the _third_ big favor I've done for you today, Marina.

DESIDERIO:

So how many "big favors" do you still owe me?

TIMMINS:

About forty-seven.

Panel 2. Connected to Panel 1, this is BART's thought balloon as he rides home in TIMMINS's car. He's imagining himself as Kid Flash holding a microphone and interviewing CHAMBERS for his movie as PETER and HANNAH film. He has a big smile on his face for the camera.

Panel 3. BART introduces CHAMBERS to JOAN and JAY GARRICK, who are about ready to go to bed. All three are surprised at BART throwing them together this way.

BART:

Hi, Joan! Hi, Jay! This is Darrin! He's a _crime victim_ who needs a place to stay for a few days, so I said he could sleep on the floor of my room.

BART:

Also, I invited an old pal from Manchester to dinner tomorrow night, 'kay?

Panel 4. In the left foreground, JAY is talking seriously but quietly to BART while in the right background JOAN is feeding DARRIN some supper.

JAY (whisper balloon):

Bart, have you thought through-

BART (whisper balloon):

C'mon, Jay-let's try to be _useful!_

JOAN:

…eating like you haven't had a good meal in a while.

CHAMBERS:

No, ma'am. I had to leave home.

CHAMBERS:

Mmm! Do I taste _rhubarb?_

•

PAGE SIX (six panels)

Panel 1. BART is unrolling a sleeping bag on the floor of his bedroom while CHAMBERS looks on. BART is treating this as a simple sleepover while CHAMBERS is a little awed by the sheer suburban whiteness of the world he's fallen into. JOAN speaks from the bedroom door.

JOAN:

Drop your clothes in the hamper, Darrin, and I'll wash them tomorrow. Some of Jay's clothes should fit you. Good night!

BART:

Night, Joan!

Panel 2. CHAMBERS is in the sleeping bag while BART is in bed, reaching up to turn out the light.

CHAMBERS:

Hey, man. Thanks for doing this. Really.

BART:

No problem! Tomorrow I'll tell you about a project you can help _me_ with! Nothing to worry about tonight, right?

Panel 3. Black panel with only the speech balloon showing, its tail pointing to where CHAMBERS was in the previous panel.

CHAMBERS:

Yeah. Long as G.G. leaves my family alone.

Panel 4. Bottom tier of page. Black panel with one balloon.

CHAMBERS:

Um. You think Miz Garrick would let me use the phone this late?

Panel 5. Black panel. Completely black. No speech balloons.

Panel 6. Black panel with one balloon.

CHAMBERS (whisper balloon):

Sorry, man. Didn't realize you're asleep.

•

PAGE SEVEN (three panels)

Panel 1. A dim hallway in an apartment building. Four THUGS of various ethnicities are walking two African-American women out of one apartment at gunpoint. The women are CHAMBERS's GRANDMOTHER and teen-aged SISTER, who's crying and carrying a little yellow kitten.

GRANDMOTHER:

I told you, we don't know where Darrin's at!

Panel 2. The same hallway. The THUGS have moved the ladies toward the stairs.

HEAD THUG:

That don't matter. Now that we got _you_, Little G.G.'s gonna come to _us_.

Panel 3. Big panel showing the immediate aftermath of BART's arrival as Kid Flash. The THUGS are sprawled in various states of stupor and shock, their guns unloaded and disassembled on the floor. CHAMBERS's SISTER and GRANDMOTHER are safe but surprised. BART's crackly path, still fading away, shows how he crisscrossed the stairs and landing to subdue the gang. He's standing over the HEAD THUG, looking angry.

•

PAGE EIGHT (three panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash has grabbed the HEAD THUG's shirt and is threatening him.

BART:

From now on, family is _off limits!_ You tell that to-

Panel 2. UNCLE JIMMY KARLSON looks up in surprise. It is now daytime, and he's in his storefront office.

UNCLE JIMMY:

G.G.?

Panel 3. Big panel shows GREG GRANTHAM, the crime boss. He's come into UNCLE JIMMY's office with a beefy bodyguard holding the leashes of two scarred and nasty fighting dogs. GRANTHAM wears a tailored herringbone suit. His face is handsome but cold, brown-skinned and freckled. His short curly hair is in a Norman Osborne widow's peak. His manner is unnaturally calm and cruel.

UNCLE JIMMY:

I mean "Mr. Grantham?" What can I do-

GRANTHAM:

One of the _Flashes_ is standing in the way of someone I want, Sausage Man.

UNCLE JIMMY:

Oh, I know what that's like-

GRANTHAM:

I want Darrin Chambers, and he is being protected by the one they call _Kid Flash_. This makes me angry, and my anger agitates my dogs.

GRANTHAM:

You have clients who can deal with the young Flash. You will tell those clients-you will tell _all_ your contacts and associates-that I will pay a fair price for Darrin Chambers.

GRANTHAM:

If my dogs remain agitated for long, the only thing that will calm them is…sausage.


	10. All Through Supper His Spirits Were High

PAGE ONE (five panels)

Panel 1. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**All Through Supper His Spirits Were So High**

CREDITS

Panel 2. MAX MERCURY, carrying a bottle of wine, greets JAY GARRICK in the front hall of the GARRICKS' house. BART ALLEN, very excited, brushes past MAX to the door. Everyone is in everyday clothes.

MAX:

…stopped by a vineyard in Australia I heard about.

BART:

Ooh, he's here!

MAX:

It's good to see you too, Bart.

Panel 3. Outside the door, PRESTON LINDSAY has parked his car on the street outside and is coming up the GARRICKS' front walk toward readers. He looks almost as excited as BART.

BART (off panel, connected to his balloon in previous panel):

Yeah yeah, hi, Max! But I'm talking about _Preston!_

Panel 4. Still excited, BART is about to open the front door for PRESTON, making one last check on the adults to make sure they're not doing anything that would embarrass him.

BART:

I haven't seen Preston in _years!_

Panel 5. BART has opened the door, and PRESTON comes in. Immediately they're both hiding their emotion about seeing each other in favor of adolescent male apathy. They greet each other with a casual fist bump.

BART:

Hey.

PRESTON:

Hey, Allen.

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. BART introduces PRESTON to JAY, who shakes hands with the college student.

BART:

Preston, this is _Jay Garrick_. I've lived with him ever since I left Manchester…most of the time.

BART:

And you remember-

Panel 2. PRESTON is shocked by the sight of MAX.

PRESTON:

_Mr. Crandall?_ I thought you were…

MAX:

Brunette?

Panel 3. MAX's explanation doesn't relieve PRESTON's puzzlement.

PRESTON:

What?

MAX:

Sorry-family joke. I had to go away for a while, but I'm feeling better now.

Panel 4. PRESTON is still confused as BART barrels on, introducing JOAN GARRICK, who enters from the kitchen carrying a steaming casserole pot full of beef stew.

PRESTON (to MAX):

Oh. Good.

BART:

And this is _Joan, _Jay's wife. She's a _great cook!_ You're gonna love supper.

Panel 5. JOAN places her pot on the supper table. DARRIN CHAMBERS has followed her from the kitchen with a steaming pot of his own. CHAMBERS is dressed in some of JAY's clothes, which fit well enough but clearly don't reflect CHAMBERS's own style, and he's a bit abashed about it. His facial injuries are healing but still noticeable. People are all preparing to take their seats at the supper table. JOAN will be at one end with PRESTON at her right hand and CHAMBERS at her left. JAY is at the other end with MAX at his right hand (beside CHAMBERS) and BART at his left.

JOAN:

Well, thank you, Bart. But I had some help tonight. Darrin's made some _delicious_ sweet potatoes with dill.

JOAN:

And this afternoon Jay squeezed enough lemons to make fresh lemonade for all you boys.

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. In JIMMY (Sausage Man) KARLSON's storefront office, after working hours, he has a serious meeting with the ASPIRING HENCHMAN from the episode titled "The Public Eye Was on Him." The ASPIRING HENCHMAN's name is ROSS CAUDELL.

UNCLE JIMMY:

This afternoon I told G.G. that _you_ had a lead on Darrin Chambers!

CAUDELL:

I _did_, Sausage Man! I went through orientation at Keystone Motors with the kid.

Panel 2. CAUDELL explains apologetically.

CAUDELL:

But after I called you, I chased down the head of Food Services, and she said Chambers hasn't come in for two weeks.

CAUDELL:

Wish I'd heard that before I quit the line.

Panel 3. CAUDELL wheedles as UNCLE JIMMY paces around his desk.

CAUDELL:

Can I still have _part_ of that reward?

UNCLE JIMMY:

No! G.G. isn't going to pay _part_ of his price for a dead end!

UNCLE JIMMY:

We'll be lucky if he has his dogs eat only _part_ of us.

Panel 4. CAUDELL starts to look nervous as UNCLE JIMMY leads him through a back door in the office down to the basement.

CAUDELL:

"Us"?

UNCLE JIMMY:

The best way _we_ can get G.G. off our backs now is by taking out _Kid Flash_.

Panel 5. CAUDELL protests with alarm, but UNCLE JIMMY continues to push him down to a basement room.

CAUDELL:

But he's a Flash! He can…sneak up on people!

UNCLE JIMMY:

Another client left me the tech to slow him down. That's where _you_ fit in.

CAUDELL:

Me? "Fit in" how?

Panel 6. UNCLE JIMMY flips on a light to reveal a bulky silver jumpsuit with various vacuum tubes and hoses strapped on the different limbs-an old-fashioned, first-generation outfit for a minor supervillain.

UNCLE JIMMY:

Your file says you're a 52 regular.

•

PAGE FOUR (six panels)

Panel 1. Back at the supper party, MAX asks PRESTON what he's up to.

MAX:

Preston, did I hear that you're going to Saunders College?

PRESTON:

Yes, sir. I'm fixing to major in Film Studies.

Panel 2. BART steers the conversation, winking toward JAY and MAX.

BART:

Preston called me about playing music for some independent film. Why don't you tell everyone about this independent film, Preston, because I know _absolutely nothing _about it?

Panel 3. PRESTON explains. BART reacts with feigned surprise.

.

PRESTON:

My editing professor told us to find somebody else's short film to cut. He said we have to learn how to "use our skills to serve someone else's artistic vision."

PRESTON:

So I remembered this trailer I saw on YourVids about one of the heroes here in Keystone: Kid Flash.

BART:

Kid Flash? Wow!

Panel 4. Close up of PRESTON remembering old times.

PRESTON:

You remember, Bart, how back in Manchester that guy _Impulse_ was always running around and showing up places and being a little _annoying? _

Panel 5. BART replies through gritted teeth while JAY suppresses a chuckle. PRESTON doesn't notice BART's reaction.

BART (icicle balloon):

No, I do _not_ remember it that way _at all._

PRESTON:

Well, this Kid Flash guy reminds me of Impulse.

Panel 6. CHAMBERS speaks up, the first time he's contributed to this conversation.

CHAMBERS:

Kid Flash's been helping me out. Last night he stopped some guys from beating on me, and then he rescued my family. I don't know what he's working on, but he's fine by me.

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. BART grabs the opportunity he's been looking for since he decided to bring CHAMBERS home from the police station. MAX eyes BART, having tumbled to what he's up to.

BART:

Ooh, Preston! You should interview Darrin for the movie!

Panel 2. As BART responds indignantly to MAX's look, PRESTON tries to make a connection with CHAMBERS.

BART:

What?

PRESTON:

The director's this guy Peter, who's studying videography at another college. But I can tell him about you, Darrin. I'd like to have your number.

CHAMBERS:

I'm, um, trying to keep a low profile.

Panel 3. CHAMBERS and PRESTON find a connection.

CHAMBERS:

But we might bump into each other at Saunders. I started working there today. At the main dining hall.

PRESTON:

Really? I'll have to eat on campus more often.

Panel 4. PRESTON goes back to talking about the movie.

PRESTON:

I get the feeling this movie won't be ready for the Flash Museum anytime soon. This guy Peter doesn't have a lot of footage, and most of it is just Kid Flash talking to the camera.

Panel 5. JAY offers help and PRESTON responds while BART continues to fume silently.

JAY:

I know some folks at the museum. It might have more video that you fellows could use.

PRESTON:

Thank you, sir. I'll pass that on. I guess there have been a couple of Kid Flashes before this one.

PRESTON:

Maybe the others were more _interesting_.

•

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. CAUDELL is now wearing the silver jumpsuit with the vacuum tubes and hoses, and it does indeed fit him. By pointing his arms in the same direction, he can belch out of the tubes a bubble of anti-graviton particles that briefly disrupt the gravity within that roughly spherical field. We know this because he's just puffed out such a bubble at a pile of (stolen) DVDs in PETER KARLSON's apartment, and they're floating in the air. Meanwhile, UNCLE JIMMY is confronting PETER, who's wary.

SFX:

fooom

CAUDELL:

Huh. _Interesting_.

UNCLE JIMMY:

Peter, I'm not just _asking_ you for a favor. I'm _telling_ you. This is a matter of life or death-mostly, but not entirely, mine.

PETER:

So what do you want, Uncle Jimmy?

Panel 2. The DVDs crash back down, the gravity-disrupting bubble having dissipated. CAUDELL looks at them while UNCLE JIMMY continues to lean on his nephew.

SFX:

Krssh!

CAUDELL:

Lasts about twenty seconds.

UNCLE JIMMY:

You brought that Kid Flash kid to my office, right? You can still link up with him, right?

Panel 3. PETER lies, not meeting his uncle's eyes. CAUDELL has noticed the writing on a DVD that PETER has recorded.

PETER:

Um, I'm not sure.

CAUDELL:

This disk says "Kid Flash Movie".

Panel 4. PETER snatches the DVD away from CAUDELL.

PETER:

That's a _college project_, okay?

UNCLE JIMMY:

Yeah-how's school going? How're your marks?

PETER:

Aw, you know classwork isn't my thing, Uncle Jimmy.

Panel 5. UNCLE PETER lays an avuncular hard sell on PETER as CAUDELL stands nearby, cracking his knuckles.

UNCLE JIMMY:

I know, I know. So you help me with this, Peter, I'll help you. I'll give you the money to make _your own movie_-not this Kid Flash, schoolboy stuff. Any film you want. As long as you can make it for under $45-er, $40,000.

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. PETER, looking worried, says goodbye to UNCLE JIMMY and CAUDELL at the door of his basement apartment. It's night outside.

UNCLE JIMMY:

Remember-we're still family.

PETER:

How can I forget?

Panel 2. PRESTON takes leave of BART at the end of the supper party with a hearty handshake and a wave for CHAMBERS. It's nighttime there, too.

PRESTON:

Good night, Bart! It was really great to see you again!

PRESTON:

And I'll see you both again soon, right?

Panel 3. Across the middle of the page. PETER is sitting up late in his apartment, trying to figure out what to do.

Panel 4. Lunchtime the next day. PRESTON has spotted CHAMBERS working in the student cafeteria line and grabs the opportunity to say hello. The student in line behind him peers at the counter, mystified.

PRESTON:

Hey, Darren! Those were really good sweet potatoes!

CHAMBERS:

Hey, man-Preston. Thanks.

MYSTIFIED STUDENT:

Sweet potatoes?

Panel 5. PETER is on his cell phone leaving a message, looking troubled but going through with his uncle's plan.

PETER:

Hey, dude, it's your director. Can you meet me at 4:00 in the northwest corner of Broome Park beside those big rocks-you know, down near the old reservoir? I, um, got an idea for some, uh, good action shots.

•

PAGE EIGHT (one panel)

Panel 1. BART is standing in a corner of Broome Park where there are big boulders scattered about. He's wearing his Kid Flash outfit and an impatient, though clueless, expression. CAUDELL in his silver jumpsuit with the tubes is sneaking up behind him, ready to fire the anti-graviton particles. In the foreground, PETER is crouched behind a boulder, filming with his camera. His face is anxious but resigned.

PETER (whisper balloon):

And…action.


	11. Now the Battle Was at Its Highest

PAGE ONE (four panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash stands in Broome Park, looking around impatiently. Behind him, NEGOSHIAN is crouched behind a boulder preparing to strike.

BART CAP (expressing BART's thoughts):

Peter told me we'd film some "Kid Flash Investigates!" action here at 4:00.

BART CAP:

That was _three_ minutes ago.

Panel 2. BART stands, arms folded and one foot tapping furiously. Behind him, we can spot PETER KARLSON crouched with his camera.

BART CAP:

Come on come on come on.

SFX:

FOOM

BART CAP:

"Foom?"

Panel 3. BART has been bubbled into the air by the anti-gravity particles that NEGOSHIAN has shot out of the wrist tubes of his silver jumpsuit. In the near background, NEGOSHIAN shouts his triumph in familiar super-villain fashion.

BART CAP:

Whoa!

NEGOSHIAN:

You, Kid Flash, have met the power of _Gravitas!_

Panel 4. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**Now the Battle Was at Its Highest **

CREDITS

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. Horizontal panel. BART kicks at superspeed through the air like a swimmer, propelling himself toward NEGOSHIAN.

BART CAP:

Ha! I'm coming for you, big loud silver guy-

Panel 2. Horizontal panel. The anti-gravity bubble bursts, and BART bellyflops to the ground. NEGOSHIAN gloats and launches a boulder into the air.

SFX:

Thuddd

BART CAP:

Ow!

NEGOSHIAN:

My bursts of negative gravity may not last long…

SFX:

Fooom

Panel 3. NEGOSHIAN taps the levitating boulder so that it floats over BART, threatening to crush him when it falls. BART is on his hands and knees on the ground, looking up apprehensively.

NEGOSHIAN:

…but they last long enough to crush _you!_

BART CAP:

Okay, time to think.

Panel 4. BART has jumped up onto the side of the boulder and is kicking through the air again, pushing the boulder over NEGOSHIAN, who reacts with surprise.

BART CAP:

Ha! Where's your big silver mouth now?

Panel 5. BART is jumping up and down on top of the floating boulder while NEGOSHIAN crouches underneath it, keeping it in the air with his anti-gravity puffs.

SFX:

Jomp Jomp Jomp

SFX:

Foom Foom Foom

•

PAGE THREE (ten panels)

Panel 1. The boulder crashes to the ground, BART riding it down. NEGOSHIAN runs out of the way, and as he does BART notices a detail on the back of his silver costume.

SFX:

THOMP!

BART CAP:

Ooh! A control thingie!

Panel 2. Inset panel showing what BART has spotted: an on/off switch.

Panel 3. BART easily catches up with NEGOSHIAN and switches the costume control panel to the off position.

SFX:

Klik

BART:

Gravitas is a _stuuuupid_ name.

Panel 4. NEGOSHIAN whirls so he faces BART again and reaches behind himself to switch his outfit back on.

NEGOSHIAN:

Hey!

SFX:

Klik

Panel 5. BART mischievously zips around NEGOSHIAN and flips the switch back off.

BART:

If you're all about "negative gravity," shouldn't you be _Negravitas? _

SFX:

Klik

Panel 6. Small stacked panel. Close up of NEGOSHIAN's finger flipping the switch to on.

SFX:

Klik

Panel 7. Small stacked panel. Close up of BART's finger flipping the switch to off.

SFX:

Klik

Panel 8. Small stacked panel. Close up of NEGOSHIAN's finger flipping the switch to on.

SFX:

Klik

Panel 9. Larger panel once again. BART is reaching around NEGOSHIAN to flip the switch again, but NEGOSHIAN gives him a shove on the side of his head.

BART:

It took _me_ only two seconds to think up a _better_ name for-

NEGOSHIAN:

Get off!

Panel 10. Close up of BART's face reacting with surprise and hurt.

BART:

Ow!

•

PAGE FOUR (five panels)

Panel 1. BART, angry and remembering what he's there for, pounds NEGOSHIAN in the gut with a series of superfast punches.

SFX:

pudpudpudpudpudpudpud

Panel 2. NEGOSHIAN is on the ground retching. Some of the tubes in his costume have come loose, leaving it powerless. BART stands over him.

BART:

And let that be a lesson to you!

NEGOSHIAN:

Keck! Keck!

Panel 3. Police OFFICER SUAREZ strides into the scene. BART points out NEGOSHIAN, who's still on all fours.

OFFICER SUAREZ:

All right, you two clowns-knock it off!

BART:

Officer, arrest this man for assaulting me!

Panel 4. SUAREZ responds with skepticism while BART gets more indignant.

OFFICER SUAREZ:

It looked to me like you were thumping _each other._

BART:

But he's a _villain!_ Look, he's wearing a _costume!_ And a _mask!_ And…oh.

Panel 5. Close up of BART, looking nervous.

BART:

Er, I have a Titans I.D. card.

BART CAP:

At home.

BART CAP:

Somewhere.

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. PETER runs into the scene holding his camera. BART looks pleased, OFFICER SUAREZ a little exasperated.

PETER:

It's just a student film, officer!

BART:

Oh! Yeah, yeah-this is part of our _movie!_

Panel 2. OFFICER SUAREZ lectures PETER.

OFFICER SUAREZ:

You know you should have a _permit_ to film in the park? Since you're students, though, I'm gonna let you off with a _warning_.

PETER:

Yessir, sir.

Panel 3. PETER walks away with NEGOSHIAN and BART trailing on either side. NEGOSHIAN isn't happy, but PETER is so stressed that he's looking a little sick.

NEGOSHIAN (whisper balloon):

Your uncle's not gonna like hearing about this.

BART:

Hey! Families are _off limits!_

Panel 4. PETER dismisses NEGOSHIAN as BART looks on cluelessly.

PETER:

Look, you did your job, okay? Let _me_ handle my uncle.

Panel 5. As NEGOSHIAN shambles off in the background, BART continues to trail after PETER happily without noticing PETER's emotional state.

BART:

Tough working with actors, huh? Hey, where's _Hannah_ and her _sound thingies? _

PETER (muttering in small letters):

I didn't think she should see this.

•

PAGE SIX (four panels)

Panel 1. BART and PETER are walking on the Keystone Community College campus. PETER is still looking sick, and BART is still buzzing around chirpily.

BART:

That's too bad! I'm all set to talk to the camera.

Panel 2. PETER has stopped in front of the classroom building.

PETER:

Look.

PETER:

I gotta go to class, okay?

BART:

Oh, yeah!

Panel 3. PETER is standing in front of the building, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Behind him, BART's crackly trail shows where he's just run out of the scene.

BART (off panel):

See ya!

Panel 4: A few seconds later PETER is in the same place, speaking on his phone. Behind him, BART reenters the scene in his street clothes, carrying his criminal justice textbook and whistling to look casual.

PETER:

Uncle Jimmy, it's Peter. You gotta trust me, okay? I got a much better idea…

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. The Criminal Justice classroom at Keystone Community. The window shows that it's darker outside. PROFESSOR McDONNEL is at the lectern. BART is sitting with DESIDERIO and HERSEY, and other students are also in their project groups.

PROFESSOR McDONNEL:

Okay, people, good discussion. I'll see you all next week. Remember your appointments with me to discuss progress on your group projects.

HERSEY:

So we goin' over to rookie's house to question Chambers?

BART:

Yeah!

DESIDERIO:

No, we're going to help Darrin move into his family's new apartment near Saunders.

Panel 2. HERSEY is driving DESIDERIO and BART in his pickup through the streets of suburban Keystone.

DESIDERIO:

And if Darrin feels like telling us what he told the police about Raemond Ferguson's murder, we can certainly take notes.

Panel 3. As HERSEY's pickup waits for him, DARRIN CHAMBERS comes out of the GARRICKs' house carrying a paper bag of things JOAN has pressed on him. His bruises have faded more. He's once again dressed in the clothes he wore in episode 16, though they're now cleaned and pressed. JOAN has come out to bid him goodbye, carrying a sweater vest with a diamond pattern.

JOAN:

And you can have this vest-Jay hardly wears it anymore.

CHAMBERS:

Thanks, Miz Garrick, but I couldn't.

CHAMBERS:

I really couldn't.

Panel 4. HERSEY drives his pickup in the other direction, now carrying CHAMBERS as well as BART and DESIDERIO.

CHAMBERS:

Thanks for finding a new place for my grandma, Mrs. D. I don't know how to say thanks enough.

BART:

Well, actually you could-

DESIDERIO (balloon interrupting BART's):

Don't mention it, Darrin. I just made some calls.

Panel 5. HERSEY's pickup arrives in a neighborhood near Saunders College-Victorian houses that have been divided into apartments for students and workers. The truck passes a car with the silhouettes of four men sitting in it.

HERSEY:

Huh. Nice neighborhood.

•

PAGE EIGHT (three panels)

Panel 1. On the porch of one of those Victorians, the CHAMBERS family greets DARRIN happily. The family consists of his GRANDMOTHER, his SISTER DEBRA, and a yellow kitten DEBRA holds in her arms.

GRANDMOTHER:

Oh, my baby! I thought I'd lose you again!

DEBRA:

Just _wait_ till you see this apartment. And the neighborhood is _so much_ safer.

Panel 2. GRANDMOTHER expresses her gratitude to the family's helpers, hugging DESIDERIO. BART reacts with smug raised eyebrows to her remark.

GRANDMOTHER:

You folks have done _so much_ for us.

GRANDMOTHER:

You're _all_ heroes! Just as much as _Kid Flash!_

FREDDY BOZIC (off panel):

_Little G.G.! _

Panel 3. The four men from the parked car are ranged on the CHAMBERS family's lawn, looking threatening. One is armed with a baseball bat, another with a nightstick. They are the BOZIC brothers, with FREDDY BOZIC the oldest and best dressed. They are in their late teens and twenties, looking like criminal muscle, which they are.

FREDDY BOZIC:

_Big_ G.G. wants to see you.

FREDDY BOZIC:

And we're the guys who're gonna _deliver_ you.


	12. No Doubt the Search Was Going On

PAGE ONE (two panels)

Panel 1. Evening outside a Victorian house in a residential neighborhood near Saunders College. View from behind the BOZIC brothers: FREDDY the oldest, DUKO, PAULIE, and TED. They're looking up at the porch where the CHAMBERS family, being visited by BART, HERSEY, and DESIDERIO, are reacting in surprise. One of the BOZIC brothers has a handgun tucked into the back of his waistband, and another is holding pistol in his hand behind his leg.

FREDDY BOZIC:

So you gonna come quiet, Little G.G.? Or do we gotta make some noise?

Panel 2. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**No Doubt the Search Was Going On **

CREDITS

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. DARRIN CHAMBERS pushes his GRANDMOTHER and sister DEBRA, still holding her yellow kitten, into the house. DESIDERIO is backing into the porch shadows. HERSEY stands at the top of the porch steps defiantly. BART is trying to run off, but HERSEY has a discreet grip on the back of his waistband.

CHAMBERS:

Get inside. Call the police.

DEBRA:

There's no phone yet!

CHAMBERS:

Just get inside, Deb!

BART (whisper balloon):

I'll run for help.

HERSEY (whisper balloon):

Stick with me, rookie. We can stop these guys.

Panel 2. CHAMBERS stands alongside HERSEY and BART at the front of the porch.

CHAMBERS (whisper balloon):

You all don't have to stay.

BART (whisper balloon):

I _really_, really think it would be better if I _ran behind the house_ for just a few minutes.

HERSEY (loudly, to BOZIC brothers):

Men! You're about to make a big mistake.

Panel 3. HERSEY holds up his badge.

HERSEY:

I'm a duly empowered law-enforcement officer of Fox County.

Panel 4. FREDDY BOZIC sneers at HERSEY's attempt to intimidate him.

FREDDY BOZIC:

A deputy sheriff? You got no jurisdiction and an empty holster.

Panel 5. Still standing shoulder to shoulder, BART and HERSEY mutter to each other.

BART (whisper balloon):

Where's your gun?

HERSEY (whisper balloon):

I left it in my truck.

•

PAGE THREE (five panels)

Panel 1. BART has raced at superspeed past the BOZIC brothers to HERSEY's truck and is yanking unsuccessfully on one door.

Panel 2. Like the last panel on the previous page. BART is back at HERSEY's side, nothing but a fading crackle trail to hint that he's moved. Also, the truck's alarm goes off.

BART (whisper balloon):

Aaand your truck is locked.

HERSEY (whisper balloon):

Of course. I keep my gun in there.

SFX (starting in this panel and extending into the next, and thence along the top border of every panel for the rest of the scene):

EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE

Panel 3. The BOZIC brothers brandish their weapons and come closer to the porch.

FREDDY BOZIC:

Setting off a car alarm won't do nothing but annoy your neighbors.

Panel 4. DUKO BOZIC points to DESIDERIO in a corner of the porch and yells.

DUKO BOZIC:

And you, lady-get off the phone! No callin' 911!

Panel 5. DESIDERIO snaps her phone shut.

DESIDERIO:

I wasn't calling 911.

DESIDERIO:

I was calling your mother.

•

PAGE FOUR (six panels)

Panel 1. DESIDERIO leans out of the porch to chastise the BOZIC brothers as FREDDY's cell phone goes off in his pocket.

SFX (HERSEY's truck alarm, continuing along the top border of every panel on this page):

EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE

DESIDERIO:

I recognized you boys, even after ten years.

DESIDERIO:

Is this what your mother hoped for when she was working two jobs?

PAULIE BOZIC (recognizing the family's former social worker):

Mrs. D.? Hey, it's Mrs. D.!

SFX (from FREDDY BOZIC's pocket):

deedledeedle deedledeedle deedledeedle

FREDDY BOZIC:

Aw, _kurvin sine_.

Panel 2. Close-up of FREDDY BOZIC's hand as he pokes buttons on his cell phone. Its screen says, "MA".

FREDDY BOZIC (mouth off panel):

Go to voicemail. Go to voicemail.

Panel 3. FREDDY BOZIC goes back to yelling at the porch while his brother DANO BOZIC looks at his own beeping cell phone.

FREDDY BOZIC:

Your friends are just making it worse, Little G.G.! You're coming with-

SFX:

Beepbeepbeep beepbeepbeep

Panel 4. DANO BOZIC answers his phone as FREDDY BOZIC yells at him.

FREDDY BOZIC:

Don't answer! Don't answer!

DANO BOZIC:

Hello?

FREDDY BOZIC:

_Guzica. _

DANO BOZIC:

Yeah, Ma, he's right here. Hang on.

Panel 5. FREDDY BOZIC yells into the phone as two of his brothers start run for the car and the third, DANO BOZIC, looks nervously down the street.

FREDDY BOZIC:

I can't talk now, Ma! I can't even hear you over the siren!

DANO BOZIC:

Siren?

SFX (small, off in distance):

weeooweeooweeoo

Panel 6. All the BOZIC brothers pile into their car as the lights of a police cruiser appear in ths distance.

FREDDY BOZIC:

I told you _not_ to answer!

SFX (louder, bigger):

_Weeooweeooweeoo _

•

PAGE FIVE (six panels)

Panel 1. A police cruiser roars past, chasing the BOZICs' car. BART is standing out at the curb, pointing out the car. Across the street is HERSEY's truck and behind that another Victorian house with the front door opening.

SFX (across the top of the panel):

EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE

SFX (from the police car, big and loud):

WEEOOWEEOOWEEOOWEEOOWEEOO

Panel 2. Close up of HERSEY's thumb turning off the alarm on his key ring.

SFX (stopping halfway across the panel):

EEE EEE E-

HERSEY:

Good work, team.

Panel 3. A blond young man hurries out of the house across the street, dressed casually in an old T-shirt, sweatpants, and flip-flops. It's PRESTON LINDSAY.

PRESTON:

Are y'all okay? I looked out when your car alarm went off, and those guys on the lawn looked like troub-Bart?

Panel 4. BART reacts with happy surprise while PRESTON turns his attention to CHAMBERS.

BART:

Preston?

PRESTON:

Darrin? What are _you_ doing here?

Panel 5. CHAMBERS on the porch and PRESTON on the front lawn converse, ignoring everyone else.

CHAMBERS:

Oh, hey, Preston. Me and my family just moved in.

PRESTON:

Really? I'll have to eat home more often.

Panel 6. CHAMBERS leads everyone into the house. Behind his back, BART, DESIDERIO, and HERSEY exchange glances, sensing an opening.

CHAMBERS:

You folks want to come in? I wish I could help _you_ the way you helped us.

BART:

Well, actually…

•

PAGE SIX (six panels)

Panel 1. In the CHAMBERS family living room, GRANDMOTHER has unpacked the cups and served coffee. DESIDERIO finishes explaining to DARRIN CHAMBERS what the team is asking for.

DESIDERIO:

…tell us the same things you told Detective Timmins about Raemond Ferguson's murder.

CHAMBERS:

But I told him nothing. My fight with Rae was a long time ago.

HERSEY:

Tell us anyway. We might spot some clues.

BART:

Yeah!

Panel 2. BART grabs his opportunity.

BART:

But-ooh!-don't start talking till Preston gets his camera! Then we can put you in the _movie! _

HERSEY:

What movie?

Panel 3. BART grimaces at his mistake, but goes for the save.

BART:

I mean, in the _class project!_

PRESTON:

What project?

Panel 4. Questions overwhelm BART.

PRESTON:

You mean that guy _Peter's_ class project? For the museum?

CHAMBERS:

Who's Peter?

DESIDERIO:

What museum?

Panel 5. BART loses his cool with PRESTON.

BART:

Will you just go get your camera?

PRESTON:

Okay, okay.

Panel 6. As PRESTON leaves, CHAMBERS and the others are still dubious.

CHAMBERS:

I don't know about a _movie_, man.

BART:

You'll see-it'll be easy. And educational!

BART:

And _awesome_.

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. PRESTON is videotaping CHAMBERS while DESIDERIO, HERSEY, and BART stand behind the camera asking questions. While PRESTON was home picking up his equipment, he took the time to comb his hair and put on a nice shirt.

CHAMBERS:

…Rae wasn't out for a fight. He wasn't trying to challenge G.G. He was just trying to look after those animals.

CHAMBERS:

But G.G. don't let things go.

Panel 2. CHAMBERS goes on, and from off camera BART grabs another opening.

CHAMBERS:

That's why he's still coming after _me_.

BART:

But _Kid Flash_ stopped his thugs, right? Talk to the camera about _that! _

Panel 3. CHAMBERS shakes his head. In his mind, the interview is over.

CHAMBERS:

His thugs are still coming. He's even got _new thugs_.

DESIDERIO:

You mean the Bozic boys?

CHAMBERS:

Yeah, I recognized one of 'em from juvy.

Panel 4. CHAMBERS stands and looks out the window at the street. PRESTON is still following him with the camera.

CHAMBERS:

I figure they followed Gramma and Debra from the old place. Waited till I showed up.

BART:

But you didn't _do_ anything to G.G.!

Panel 5. CHAMBERS turns with resolution.

CHAMBERS:

He prob'ly thinks I'm snitching. Or might snitch. Or _something_.

CHAMBERS:

Now those Bozices know where I am. So sooner or later they'll tell _him_.

•

PAGE EIGHT (two panels)

Panel 1. CHAMBERS calls to his sister DEBRA, who holds out her cell phone.

CHAMBERS:

Deb, is your cell charged up now?

DEBRA:

Yep. What're you going to do?

Panel 2. CHAMBERS starts dialing the phone as he talks while all the people around him show varying degrees of surprise and alarm.

CHAMBERS:

Only thing I _can_ do.

CHAMBERS:

I'm gonna give myself up to G.G.


	13. Short Intervals in the Midst of Music

PAGE ONE (three panels)

Panel 1. DARRIN CHAMBERS is standing in his apartment's living room with his sister DEBRA's phone in his hand. Around him are his sister and GRANDMOTHER, BART ALLEN and PRESTON LINDSAY in student clothes, and BART's community-college classmates MARINA DESIDERIO and BILLY JAKE HERSEY. They are all alarmed by what CHAMBERS has just said. The windows show that it is nighttime.

BART:

No no no no no no no, Darrin! You can't give yourself up to G.G.! He's a _bad guy!_

Panel 2. DEBRA CHAMBERS snatches away her cell phone, and her brother tries to explain his thinking.

SISTER:

You can_not_ use _my_ phone to do anything that _stupid_.

CHAMBERS:

But don't you see, sis? G.G.'s put out the word that he wants me back in his gang. Those Bozices followed you tonight, so now they know where I am. Sooner or later, G.G.'ll find out.

Panel 3. Others in the crowd offer suggestions.

DESIDERIO (to GRANDMOTHER):

I _might_ be able to find you folks another apartment. It'll take time…

PRESTON:

Darrin, you can hang out at _my_ place.

•

PAGE TWO (six panels)

Panel 1. CHAMBERS put his hand on PRESTON's shoulder as he explains his thinking.

CHAMBERS:

Thanks, Preston. But it's not just about _me_. They'll just try grabbing Gramma and Debra again.

BART:

But family's _off limits!_

Panel 2. CHAMBERS starts to dial again, and PRESTON grabs his hand. In the background, the CHAMBERS family and BART chime in.

PRESTON:

Wait wait wait! You folks said _Kid Flash_ helped you twice before, right?

GRANDMOTHER, DEBRA, and BART:

Right!

Panel 3. PRESTON continues his argument to CHAMBERS. In the background, BART is looking thoughtful and a little embarrassed.

PRESTON:

You all must be part of some _mission_ Kid Flash is working on. Like he's got a _plan_ to bring down G.G.

Panel 4. CHAMBERS looks skeptical, but PRESTON is persistent, and in the background BART is enthusiastic.

CHAMBERS:

I can't be sure when that guy'll run by. He didn't show up _tonight_, right?

PRESTON:

No, but _I_ might be able to get a _message_ to Kid Flash. To tell him when and where you'll meet with this G.G. guy, so he can be _ready_.

Panel 5. GRANDMOTHER puts her foot down, and CHAMBERS acquiesces.

GRANDMOTHER:

Darrin, _promise_ me you won't call that G.G. until you've reached out to Kid Flash.

CHAMBERS:

All right, Gramma.

Panel 6. PRESTON starts dialing his own cell phone.

PRESTON:

This guy Peter's working on a movie with Kid Flash-he _must_ know how to contact him.

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. Close up of PETER answering his cell phone.

PETER:

Hi, Preston.

PETER:

Yeah, I can contact Kid Flash.

Panel 2. Pull back to show that PETER is sitting in the basement of his uncle's office. With him are UNCLE JIMMY and NEGOSHIAN, who is working on the Gravitas suit with a screwdriver. PETER glances meaningfully to the men, who look back with interest.

PETER:

Your friend _Darrin Chambers_ wants to meet with a gangster named _G.G.?_ And you want to _Kid Flash_ to be there, too?

PETER:

Yeah, I can arrange that.

Panel 3. Back in the CHAMBERS apartment, PRESTON hangs up the phone happily.

PRESTON:

Peter says he'll call Kid Flash right away.

Panel 4. BART's cell phone, with the fast guitar song as its ring tone, goes off in his pocket. His face remains blank while everyone else looks over.

Panel 5. Tumbling to the danger, BART looks nervously at his cell phone, which continues to ring in his hand. Everyone else is still looking at him.

Panel 6. BART finally answers his phone while people watch.

BART:

Hello? _Uncle Max?_

•

PAGE FOUR (seven panels)

Panel 1. BART explains his phone conversation to the crowd.

BART:

Hey, everyone, it's my _Uncle Max_ calling me!

Panel 2. Back in the Sausage Man's office, PETER stares at his phone. In the background, UNCLE JIMMY and NEGOSHIAN stare at PETER.

Panel 3. Still trying to act natural, BART scribbles quickly on a scrap of paper.

BART:

You need me to buy a cup of milk? A dozen lemons. And a liverwurst! Okay, Uncle Max! Bye, Uncle Max!

Panel 4. BART addresses the staring crowd.

BART:

That was my Uncle Max. He's _old_, so he forgets stuff. I gotta run to the all-night market before it closes. Bye!

Panel 5. BART runs out the door, quickly though not as superspeed. Behind him, HERSEY comments to GRANDMOTHER.

HERSEY (whisper balloon):

So you see what we gotta work with.

GRANDMOTHER:

Bless his heart.

Panel 6. BART is running, now at superspeed, through the streets of Keystone as he speaks on his cell phone.

BART:

Hi, Peter-it's me, Kid Flash! Don't worry about that "Uncle" stuff. I was, uh, working _undercover!_

Panel 7. BART disappears into the darkness with his crackle trail behind him.

BART:

So what's up? I have _no idea_.

•

PAGE FIVE (six panels)

Panel 1. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**Short Intervals in the Midst of the Music **

CREDITS

Panel 2. The next morning, BART in a new set of civilian clothes climbs to the attic of the GARRICKs' house.

BART CAP (expressing BART'S thoughts):

I told _Peter_ to tell _Preston_ to tell _Darrin_ that _Kid Flash_ won't meet with him until this weekend.

BART CAP:

That'll keep Darrin away from Big G.G.

Panel 3. BART rummages around among some old boxes, a trunk, extra furiture, and stored clothes.

BART CAP:

And I know just what I need to keep watch over Darrin and his family.

Panel 4. BART pulls his electric guitar out of a box. He wears an excited grin.

BART:

Suh-weet!

Panel 5. Back downstairs, BART has plugged his guitar into the amp. JOAN GARRICK watches as he casually plays a few notes, which come out jagged and broken, causing him to grimace.

JOAN:

I _told_ you Jay had stored that upstairs.

BART:

Yeah, but I think he _broke_ it.

Panel 6. JOAN moves out of the panel to resume her housework as BART is abashed to realize she speaks accurately.

JOAN:

I think _you_ need to _practice_.

JOAN:

Keep your headphones plugged in until it sounds right again.

•

PAGE SIX (ten panels)

Panel 1. Small vignette, like the next eight panels. BART quickly flips through a book titled _LEARN GUITAR FAST_.

BART CAP:

Yup. Got it. Uh-huh. Oh, yeah!

Panel 2. BART, now wearing headphones, plucks one string. A note hangs in the air near his ears.

BART CAP:

The A should vibrate only 440 times a second.

Panel 3. BART strums once. The symbol of a guitar chord hovers near his head.

BART CAP:

D chord!

Panel 4. BART starts to play, and a stream of small notes appears around his head, as in the next four panels.

BART CAP:

"You Really Got Me"!

Panel 5. BART plays another song, getting into it more, as the melodic line swirls.

BART CAP:

"Freebird"!

Panel 6. BART is really frenzied in his playing now.

BART CAP:

"Fast as a Shark"!

Panel 7. BART does a Chuck Berry walk while playing.

BART CAP:

"Let It Rock"!

Panel 8. BART plays another tune while standing at attention.

BART CAP:

"The Star-Spangled Banner"!

Panel 9. BART plays without headphones, and a larger musical line pours out of the amp.

BART CAP:

"Little Rock Getaway"!

Panel 10. BART carries his guitar in its case and his amp through the kitchen, where JOAN and JAY GARRICK greet him. JAY holds out a small stack of DVDs in plain plastic cases.

JOAN:

That was lovely, Bart. You really do have a talent.

BART:

Thanks, Joan! I'm going to Preston's place to record some tunes for the _movie_, okay?

JAY:

Fine. I went by the Flash Museum and picked up some…

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. In PRESTON's apartment bedroom, BART hands the DVDs to PRESTON.

BART:

…DVDs of Kid Flash in action.

PRESTON:

Okay, Peter might see some footage to edit in.

BART:

But make sure it's the _right_ Kid Flash.

Panel 2. PRESTON turns back to his computer editing and recording program while BART sets down his guitar and peers out the window. It is dark outside.

PRESTON:

Tonight I just want to record a new score for the trailer, so YourVids won't take it down again.

BART:

Ooh!

Panel 3. BART turns back to PRESTON, an anxious look on his face.

BART:

Can I, uh, use your bathroom?

PRESTON:

Second door on the right.

Panel 4. BART runs out into the hall.

BART:

Right!

Panel 5. Outside, three of the BOZIC brothers (not including FREDDY) are climbing up the porch steps of the house where the CHAMBERS family now lives. They carry pipes as clubs, and brass knuckles. Behind them a crackly streak shows Kid Flash running down from a second-floor window of the house across the street.

PAULIE BOZIC (whisper balloon):

No visitors to protect Little G.G. _tonight_.

•

PAGE EIGHT (six panels)

Panel 1. One BOZIC brother is dumped in a trashcan in downtown Keystone, with a crackly trail to show who has done it.

Panel 2. Another BOZIC brother hangs by his jacket collar a couple of meters up a utility pole, with a crackly trail passing by.

Panel 3. The third BOZIC brother, with the brass knuckles, is left dizzy on the front steps of a police station, with OFFICER SUAREZ looking down at him skeptically. The fading crackly trail leads off into the distance.

Panel 4. BART, back in his civilian clothes, reenters PRESTON's bedroom, trying to look casual. PRESTON glances over.

PRESTON:

Bart, you want everyone to _see?_

Panel 5. BART is suddenly anxious.

BART:

What?

PRESTON:

Your fly's down.

Panel 6. BART pulls up his zipper, back to congratulating himself on how well his plan is going.

BART (to PRESTON):

Oh, yeah.

BART CAP:

Ha! Everything's going _just fine_.


	14. Not Slow in Sifting Evidence

PAGE ONE (four panels)

Panel 1. PROFESSOR McDONNEL sits at her desk in her office at Keystone Community College, speaking to students during an appointment.

McDONNEL:

You folks chose a tough class project-investigating a murder. As I read your progress report, so far you've identified a prime suspect, and exonerated him.

McDONNEL:

Which leaves you with an open case.

Panel 2. We see that the students in McDONNEL's office are BART ALLEN, MARINA DESIDERIO, and BILLY JAKE HERSEY.

DESIDERIO:

Are you saying that if we don't solve the murder of Raemond Ferguson-a case that even the _police_ haven't solved-we'll _fail_ the assignment?

McDONNEL:

No. Frankly, I didn't expect any team to get as far as you have.

Panel 3. McDONNEL reassures the team. BART looks proud.

McDONNEL:

I'll grade you on your analysis of the case-the investigation, media coverage, how the juvenile system played into it. Every part of criminal justice you can apply.

McDONNEL:

Spelling and punctuation _will_ count, though. These last eight pages look like they were written in an hour.

BART CAP (expressing BART's thoughts):

Ha! Just _five minutes!_

Panel 4. McDONNEL addresses BART, having guessed correctly who wrote that section, and he gets a little sheepish.

McDONNEL:

Spell-check is your _friend_, Mr. Allen. It's not always a _reliable_ friend, but you shouldn't ignore it all the time.

BART:

Yes, ma'am.

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. At the Sundollars coffee franchise near campus, BART and DESIDERIO sit at a table and talk.

BART:

So…what do we do now?

DESIDERIO:

Deputy, you were doubtful about this case at the start. What do _you_ want to do?

Panel 2. In a continuation of the previous panel, showing the rest of the same table, HERSEY takes a swig of coffee.

Panel 3. HERSEY puts his coffee down on the table with a steely look.

HERSEY:

I want to nail the guy that killed Raemond Ferguson.

BART CAP:

Yeah!

Panel 4. The team is all agreed. HERSEY consults his papers.

DESIDERIO:

All right. What's our next step?

HERSEY:

We start over. Reread the police file. Visit the crime scene. Talk to witnesses.

HERSEY:

I can drive up Saturday. How 'bout we meet here at two and ride over to Lampert Street where they found the kid's body? We can scout the neighborhood while the sun's still up.

Panel 6. On a sunny Saturday, HERSEY is driving BART and DESIDERIO through Keystone in his truck.

HERSEY:

My sheriff says he learned half of what he knows about forensics from _one guy_ who came out from Central City a few years back-a lab rat named _Barry Allen_.

Panel 6. BART reacts with pleasure as HERSEY pulls up in front of an abandoned apartment building. The number "3858" is in fading letters above the door. The windows are dark and broken.

BART:

That's my grandfather!

HERSEY:

Thought it might be, rookie. My sheriff says your grandfather is _good police_.

•

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. HERSEY, DESIDERIO, and BART climb a staircase inside the abandoned building. The interior is dim without electricity but not dark, because of the exposed windows and missing interior doors. HERSEY wears his star on his chest and his gun in his holster. He holds a flashlight. DESIDERIO has a folder and a notepad. BART carries a bulging knapsack and a big, unwieldy flashlight.

HERSEY:

Police report says 9-1-1 got an anonymous call from a payphone two blocks over. The responders found Rae's body in the back, second floor.

Panel 2. The team peers into a dilapidated room. There's a large brown stain in the center of the floor. HERSEY is taken aback. DESIDERIO points out a little garbage in a corner.

HERSEY:

_This_ room. Jeez, no one cleaned the blood off the floor.

DESIDERIO:

Because no one lives here.

DESIDERIO:

But someone _was_ living here.

Panel 3. BART squats to take a photograph of an empty milk carton, two small bowls, and a can opener.

BART:

Ooh!

Panel 4. In the doorway HERSEY use a laser pointer to track the likely path of the bullets over the big bloodstain to holes in the back wall near a smaller bloodstain. Having put on rubber gloves (the dishwashing kind, not the surgical kind), BART is packing the bowls, milk carton, and can opener into a big plastic bag. He wrinkles his nose at the smell. DESIDERIO peers at the bloodstains.

HERSEY:

Looks like the shots came from this doorway. Angled down. One hit Ferguson in the back of the head.

BART:

That's how he could be an _organ donor_.

HERSEY:

Must have been crouching.

DESIDERIO:

Or kneeling. There's another patch of blood here.

Panel 5. Using tweezers, BART extracts some hairs from that smaller bloodstain and puts them in a plastic baggie.

BART CAP:

Tomorrow I'll read all about analyzing _DNA_.

HERSEY (off panel):

That's probably just spatter from head shot. Sorry.

DESIDERIO:

But these hairs looks _straight_ and _blonde_.

Panel 6. HERSEY examines the frame of a door leading out the back of the room.

HERSEY:

Huh.

HERSEY:

Look at these fresh screw holes. Someone fastened a lock on this door in the last few months, then took it off.

•

PAGE FIVE (six panels)

Panel 1. The whole team peers into the completely empty room behind that door.

BART CAP:

Empty? Aw, man!

HERSEY:

New plywood over the windows. Nothing's blocking the windows in the other rooms.

DESIDERIO:

So someone hid something in here.

HERSEY:

And moved it before the police arrived to find Ferguson's body. Maybe the same people who called the police.

Panel 2. The team comes back out onto the building's front steps, blinking a little in the sunshine.

HERSEY:

Good place to murder someone. Hell of a place to die.

DESIDERIO:

I'll ask the neighbors what they remember.

BART:

Ooh, I'll come!

Panel 3. DESIDERIO heads toward a thin, elderly black woman sitting on a lawn chair in front of another building with a yellow kitten on her lap. Behind her, BART looks miffed.

DESIDERIO:

No, thanks, Bart. I can handle this.

HERSEY:

Play to your strengths, rookie. Let the social worker do the interviews. You keep collecting evidence.

Panel 4. BART photographs a corner of the building where copper thieves have ripped out most of the pipes.

Panel 5. BART pulls one fading, tattered poster out from under another on a utility pole. It shows a simple picture of a yellow cat.

HANDMADE POSTER:

LOST CAT

Is it Yours?

Found on Aug. 13

Call Raemond F.

307-842-48[last digits torn off]

Panel 6. BART is peering at a mark on the sidewalk through a magnifying glass as DESIDERIO returns.

BART CAP:

Bugs are so weird.

HERSEY:

Anything?

DESIDERIO:

Everyone knew Raemond. No one knew why he was in there. They all stay out of that building, and no one would tell me why.

•

PAGE FIVE (six panels)

Panel 1. DARRIN CHAMBERS is waiting on the lawn of PRESTON LINDSAY's house. PRESTON is there, carrying his camera. PETER KARLSON and HANNAH DINH have just arrived with their camera and sound equipment.

PRESTON:

Hey, folks! Darrin, that's Hannah on sound. And this is the guy making the Kid Flash movie, Peter-

CHAMBERS:

Karlson. I remember you from juvy. You got out a year ago.

PETER:

Uh, yeah. I-

Panel 2. BART in his Kid Flash uniform skids to a halt beside the group.

BART:

I'm here! We can start!

Panel 3. With his arm around CHAMBERS's shoulder, BART talks to the cameras held by PRESTON and PETER.

BART: Hi, I'm Kid Flash! And I'm here to help this citizen with his troubles, which I know _absolutely nothing about!_ Um…which camera should I talk to?

Panel 4. PETER hands a cell phone to CHAMBERS as he and PRESTON continue filming.

PETER:

Just try to act normal, dude. This guy's gonna call G.G. to set up a meeting.

PETER (to CHAMBERS):

You can use my uncle's phone. For security.

Panel 5. Close up of CHAMBERS talking on the phone.

CHAMBERS:

G.G.? This is Darrin.

CHAMBERS:

Yeah, you can stop hunting for me. I'll meet you tomorrow.

Panel 6. Pull back to show the whole group filming and listening to CHAMBERS as he speaks on the phone. BART is giving CHAMBERS a thumbs-up sign.

CHAMBERS:

3858 Lampert? Yeah, I remember using that place. Front stoop tomorrow at ten? I'll be there.

•

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. In his bedroom that night, dressed for bed, BART sets up a third alarm clock beside his bed. His bulging backpack of evidence sits nearby.

BART (calling out of the room):

Jay, if I'm not up by _nine_ tomorrow, you can wake me!

JAY (off panel):

Well, I can _try_.

Panel 2. BART lies in bed with the light off, images from the investigation floating in thought balloons around his head. These include the bullet holes in the wall, the screw holes, the LOST CAT poster, the can opener, the bowls, a cooler that he carried to Coast City, the kitten in the old lady's arms, the street number 3858.

Panel 3. BART's thought balloon recalls CHAMBERS speaking on the phone.

CHAMBERS:

3858 Lambert? Yeah, I remember using that place…

Panel 4. With that thought balloon coming from his head, BART sits up suddenly in bed, a look of revelation and alarm on his face.

Panel 5. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**Not Slow in the Matter of Sifting Evidence **

CREDITS

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash vibrates through the door of PRESTON's apartment, surprising PRESTON and CHAMBERS, who have clearly just been making out.

BART:

Good, you're both here!

BART:

Darrin, you said your gang used 3858 Lambert Street, right? It's on tape, right? What'd you use that place for?

Panel 2. CHAMBERS answers the question matter-of-factly, prompting PRESTON to look at him with a little alarm.

CHAMBERS:

We sold dope for G.G. Stored stuff till it wasn't so hot. Did a couple of initiations. Why?

Panel 3. BART explains his brainstorm, which raises more questions than it answers. PRESTON, looking puzzled, asks one.

BART:

Because that's where Raemond Ferguson was shot! He was living _there_, drinking milk out of a bowl!

PRESTON:

Like a cat?

Panel 4. BART now looks more puzzled than PRESTON as he tries to think things through again. CHAMBERS pulls on his boots.

BART:

Or maybe he was there _feeding_ milk out of a bowl _to_ a cat.

BART:

Ooh! Raemond found a _lost cat!_

CHAMBERS:

Who had kittens.

Panel 5. BART remains confused as CHAMBERS stands up, looking determined.

BART:

Huh?

CHAMBERS:

About the time Rae died, a guy called Manny Okra came to our place and gave my sister Debra a kitten. Said its mother was dead, Rae wanted her to have it, something like that.

BART:

Let's talk to Debra!

•

PAGE EIGHT (three panels)

Panel 1. CHAMBERS and PRESTON cross the street to the house where the CHAMBERS family has moved. BART is running impatiently around them.

BART:

Come on come on come on.

CHAMBERS:

Manny Okra might work for G.G. now. The day after Manny saw me, I heard that G.G. wanted me to check in.

Panel 2. CHAMBERS goes up to his front door, with PRESTON and BART close behind, and finds that it's ajar.

CHAMBERS:

Uh-oh. Debra? Gramma?

Panel 3. Inside the apartment, there is a little yellow kitten but no one else. CHAMBERS, PRESTON, and BART find a message written on the white board in the kitchen. They are naturally alarmed.

MESSAGE ON WHITE BOARD:

Little G.G.,

Missed you here tonite. Your gramma and sister said they dont know where you are. So their helping me make sure you show up tomorrow. No cops. No Flash's.

G.G.


	15. The Bloodiest Looking Villain

PAGE ONE (six panels)

Panel 1. Early morning dusk. Bird's eye view of BART of Kid Flash running through the poor neighborhood of Keystone City where GRANTHAM's gang rules, zipping in and out of buildings. His crackly trail shows his path.

BART:

Oh, grife. Oh, grife. Oh, grife.

Panel 2. PRESTON LINDSAY pulls up in his student car, with DARRIN CHAMBERS in the passenger seat. PRESTON looks scared, CHAMBERS determined. BART skids to a halt beside the car and yells.

BART:

I can't find your sister and grandma, Darrin!

Panel 3. CHAMBERS gets out of the car.

CHAMBERS:

Don't worry, man. G.G.'ll bring 'em to this meeting. He only cares about _me_.

Panel 4. HANNAH DINH pulls up in her car with PETER KARLSON beside her. BART is pleasantly surprised, CHAMBERS a little suspicious.

BART:

Peter? Hannah?

PETER:

We're here to _shoot_ you, dude.

Panel 5. HANNAH hides a microphone and transmitter to CHAMBERS's clothing.

HANNAH:

Wireless mike.

PETER:

We'll be shooting from this car across the street.

BART:

What about _me?_ Where should I go?

PETER:

In this scene you're hiding _inside_ the building.

Panel 6. Bird's eye view again of BART zipping away from the group into 3858 Lampert Street.

BART:

Ooh, good idea!

•

PAGE TWO (four panels)

Panel 1. Distant shot of CHAMBERS sitting alone on the stoop of 3858 Lampert Street. The sun has come up.

Panel 2. PRESTON sits at the wheel of his car, parked two blocks from 3858 Lampert, watching CHAMBERS.

Panel 3. Inside 3858 Lampert, BART looks up the stairs, thinking.

Panel 4. In HANNAH's car, she and PETER crouch over their camera and recording equipment, trained on 3858 Lampert. HANNAH has earphones on. PETER has another pair of earphones around his neck, and is whispering into his cell phone behind HANNAH's back.

PETER (whisper balloon):

Okay, get in position.

Panel 5. Looking up the street, CHAMBERS sees GREG CHECK "G.G." GRANTHAM approaching on foot. With him are his bodyguard MANNY, holding the leashes of two attack dogs, and GRANDMOTHER and DEBRA CHAMBERS.

•

PAGE THREE (four panels)

Panel 1. With a dismissive wave, GRANTHAM lets GRANDMOTHER and DEBRA go.

GRANTHAM:

Okay, ladies. I don't need you.

Panel 2. GRANDMOTHER rushes to embrace CHAMBERS while DEBRA points back at GRANTHAM.

GRANDMOTHER:

Darrin! We couldn't find you last night!

DEBRA:

G.G. _told_ us he _knew_ where you were!

GRANTHAM:

I told you I knew where Little G.G. _would be_. And I did.

Panel 3. DEBRA embraces CHAMBERS, who points her and GRANDMOTHER down the street to PRESTON's car.

DEBRA:

You _never came home_ from work last night.

CHAMBERS:

Yeah, we'll have to talk about that.

CHAMBERS:

For now, go get in that car with Preston, okay? Whatever happens, he'll get you home.

Panel 4. GRANDMOTHER and DEBRA start toward the car as CHAMBERS turns back to GRANTHAM and his dogs.

CHAMBERS:

I love you.

CHAMBERS:

Now G.G. and I have a lot to clear up.

•

PAGE FOUR (five panels)

Panel 1. BART is in the room where Raemond Ferguson was shot, dialing his cell phone. Around him are thought balloons containing images from the investigation: the yellow hairs in his tweezers, DEBRA CHAMBERS's yellow kitten, the LOST CAT poster, HERSEY's laser pointer, and the can opener.

BART:

Ooh!

Panel 2. Close up of BART speaking on his phone.

BART:

Mrs. D.? It's _Bart Allen!_ I figured out _how Raemond Ferguson got shot!_

Panel 3. Big flashback panel. G.G. and MANNY are in the doorway of the dim room, surprised and angry to find someone in the building. G.G. is about to fire a pistol at RAEMOND FERGUSON, crouched in the center of the room pouring a pint of milk into a bowl. On the far end of a line formed by the gun and RAEMOND's head is a yellow cat and a litter of yellow kittens. In the rear, there is a lock on the door to the next room.

BART (off panel):

Raemond found a yellow cat who went into that building to have her babies, and he was bringing her _food and milk_.

BART (off panel):

Raemond didn't know that _Big G.G._ and his gang were using the next room to hide…some sort of bad stuff.

BART (off panel):

G.G. must've come in, spotted Raemond, and _shot him in the head!_

BART (off panel):

One of those shots hit the cat.

Panel 4. Flashback panel. MANNY's large hands gather up the yellow kittens. At the edge of the panel is a glimpse of their dead mother.

BART (off panel):

G.G. probably wanted to feed the kittens to his _dogs_.

BART (off panel):

But one of his thugs took the kittens and passed them out to people in the neighborhood.

Panel 5. Back to BART yelling into his cell phone.

BART:

We have to tell _Deputy Hersey!_ We have to tell _Detective Timmins!_

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**The Bloodiest Looking Villain in this Country**

CREDITS

Panel 2. CHAMBERS addresses GRANTHAM, who looks smug in his tailored suit.

CHAMBERS:

What's so important to you, G.G.?

Panel 3. GRANTHAM takes CHAMBERS by the elbow and leads him a few steps from MANNY the bodyguard.

GRANTHAM:

Well, little man, I hear in juvy you turned queer.

CHAMBERS:

No. I was in juvy when I _figured out_ I'm _gay_.

Panel 4. GRANTHAM takes his hand off CHAMBERS and speaks more harshly.

GRANTHAM:

That causes a problem for me.

CHAMBERS:

How?

GRANTHAM:

You know our business-

CHAMBERS:

_Your_ business now. I'm a cook.

Panel 5. GRANTHAM accuses CHAMBERS.

GRANTHAM:

I have to look tough.

GRANTHAM:

Everyone knows I called you "Little G.G." 'cause I saw something of _me_ in you.

GRANTHAM:

How's it gonna look now when everyone knows you're a fag?

•

PAGE SIX (seven panels)

Panel 1. CHAMBERS dismisses GRANTHAM's concern.

CHAMBERS:

The fact that _I'm gay_ doesn't say nothing about anyone else.

GRANTHAM:

People will still talk about _me_.

Panel 2. CHAMBERS speaks out to his old mentor.

CHAMBERS:

It's always gotta be about _you_, huh?

CHAMBERS:

I thought the gang was turning me into a _big man_, but I was just your little pet. And you're nasty to your pets.

Panel 3. CHAMBERS turns the tables, poking GRANTHAM's sensitive spot.

CHAMBERS:

You don't want nobody to wonder if you're _queer_? First thing-stop acting obsessed about your "Little G.G."

Panel 4. Close-up of GRANTHAM reacting with shock and anger.

Panel 5. Close-up of GRANTHAM's face turning hard again.

GRANTHAM:

Manny! Set the dogs loose!

Panel 6. From a distance, we see over PETER's shoulder as he films the dogs about to spring at CHAMBERS. PETER, wearing earphones, shouts over his shoulder to someone off panel.

PETER:

Now! Go go go!

Panel 7. CHAMBERS, the dogs, and GRANTHAM all suddenly crumble to the ground.

SFX:

Mmmoooooff!

•

PAGE SEVEN (five panels)

Panel 1. NEGOSHIAN strides into view in his silver costume, his arms outstretched in front of him since he just fired off his graviton tubes.

NEGOSHIAN:

Double the powers, double the _Gravitas!_

Panel 2. Long view of CHAMBERS struggling back up to his knees as the dogs roll on the sidewalk. NEGOSHIAN points his arms at the building.

PETER (off panel):

Do the speech.

Panel 3. NEGOSHIAN looks back over his shoulder at PETER. HANNAH stares at PETER, wondering what's going on.

NEGOSHIAN:

But-

PETER:

The _whole_ speech!

Panel 4. NEGOSHIAN turns back and addresses the GRANTHAM and the men pinned to the sidewalk.

NEGOSHIAN:

By reversing the-

PETER (off panel):

Louder!

NEGOSHIAN:

_-coils of my graviton suit_, I can create fields that contain _double the natural gravitational pull_, and temporarily _bring you to your knees!_

NEGOSHIAN:

Bow before _Gravitas_, for I have the _power to crumble Keystone!_

Panel 5. NEGOSHIAN shoots his gravitation bubble over the heads of GRANTHAM, CHAMBERS, and MANNY at 3858 Lampert Street.

SFX:

MMOOOOOOOOFFFFfffff!

•

PAGE EIGHT (one panel)

Panel 1. As all the people on the sidewalk watch in surprise and horror, the whole of 3858 Lampert Street collapses straight down into a heap.

SFX:

KERRRR-ASH!


	16. He Wandered Away a Dismantled Hero

PAGE ONE (five panels)

Panel 1. Title and credits space.

TITLE:

**He Wandered Away a Dismantled Hero **

CREDITS

Panel 1. PRESTON LINDSAY jumps out of his car, looking at the collapsed ruin of 3858 Lampert Street. DEBRA and GRANDMOTHER CHAMBERS are also shocked.

PRESTON:

Kid Flash was _inside_ there!

Panel 2. CHAMBERS struggles back to his feet, pointing to NEGOSHIAN and confronting GRANTHAM.

CHAMBERS:

Is he working for you?

GRANTHAM:

No! Is he working for _you? _

Panel 3. NEGOSHIAN, a little shocked himself at what he did, tries to regain his persona, but also jerks his thumb back at PETER.

NEGOSHIAN:

Gravitas works for no one!

NEGOSHIAN:

And, uh, it was that kid's idea.

Panel 4. HANNAH DINH glares at PETER, who reacts in disbelief. PETER's UNCLE JIMMY stands nearby, also trying to figure out what's going on.

PETER:

He was supposed to _run out!_ Why didn't he _run out?_

PETER:

That stupid speech gave him _plenty of time_ to run out!

•

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. BART as Kid Flash vibrates out of the rubble, looking behind him.

BART:

Whoa. Had to vibrate _twice as fast_ as normal.

Panel 2. Moving at superspeed, BART rips some tubes off NEGOSHIAN's costume.

BART:

Ooh! Big loud silver guy! With those graviton thingies!

Panel 3. BART dashes around and around the attack dogs. In the background, NEGOSHIAN lies dizzily on the ground.

Panel 4. BART grabs a handgun away from MANNY. In the background, the two dogs' legs are wrapped up in their own leashes.

Panel 5. BART comes to a stop, grabbing GRANTHAM by the necktie.

BART:

Gotcha!

•

PAGE THREE (five panels)

Panel 1. Detective MARCUS TIMMINS roars up in his SUV, followed by a police patrol car.

SFX:

Weeooweeoowee-SCREECH

Panel 2. BART shouts to TIMMINS, who's in plain clothes with his police badge around his neck.

BART:

Detective, arrest this man for the _murder of Raemond Ferguson!_

Panel 3. BART, still holding GRANTHAM, points to the heap of rubble that was 3858 Lampert Street.

BART:

All the evidence is right inside that…oh.

Panel 4. As TIMMINS looks on skeptically, BART continues his plea as GRANTHAM responds confidently.

BART:

Well, arrest him for kidnapping!

GRANTHAM:

The ladies came voluntarily.

BART:

Assault with a deadly dog!

GRANTHAM:

My babies never touched anyone.

Panel 5. BART lets go of GRANTHAM as he digs in his memory for some applicable charge.

BART:

Um…demolition without a license?

GRANTHAM:

Hey, talk to the silver guy.

•

PAGE FOUR (six panels)

Panel 1. GRANTHAM backs away, pointing at CHAMBERS.

GRANTHAM:

I got nothing to do with these freaks.

GRANTHAM:

Especially _him_.

Panel 2. PRESTON runs up beside CHAMBERS.

PRESTON:

So is it over?

CHAMBERS:

Yeah, man, it's over. We can go home.

Panel 3. UNCLE JIMMY confronts PETER beside his equipment-filled car. PETER is feeling rather smug. In the background, the police officers are talking to NEGOSHIAN.

UNCLE JIMMY:

You set this up for _Kid Flash to win? _

PETER:

He got Big G.G. off your back, right? And it'll look great in the movie. So _I_ think it turned out to be a very _good_ idea.

Panel 4. Only BART is still angry, yelling at TIMMINS as GRANTHAM, MANNY, and the dogs walk away.

BART:

But what about _Raemond?_ And the _cat? _

BART:

G.G.'s getting away with _murder!_ Where's the _justice_ in that?

Panel 5. TIMMINS answers BART, who gets angrier.

TIMMINS:

Sorry, Kid Flash. We need _evidence_ to make a charge stick any better than a Post-It Note.

Panel 6. Fuming, BART runs off at top speed, leaving the whole crowd in his wake.

BART:

Arrrgh!

•

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. MAX MERCURY in costume, JAY GARRICK as the Flash, WALLY WEST as the Flash, and IREY WEST as Impulse dash up to TIMMINS.

MAX:

We heard there was trouble with Kid Flash.

WALLY (small letters, under his breath):

Of course.

Panel 2. TIMMINS explains the situation to the heroes. In the background, PRESTON stares at IREY, who's running around examining the scene curiously.

TIMMINS:

The kid got out of that heap without a scratch. But when I couldn't arrest anyone, he took off like a rocket car.

PRESTON (to IREY):

You look…shorter.

Panel 3. IREY sticks out her tongue at PRESTON. WALLY rolls his eyes and prepares to run.

WALLY:

Aw, man! Kid Flash could be anywhere by now. Come on, Impulse-stay close!

Panel 4. As WALLY and IREY WEST's paths trail off into the distance together, BARRY ALLEN as the Flash arrives.

BARRY:

Sorry I'm late!

MAX:

It's good you're here. Kid Flash needs to talk to _you_.

Panel 5. BARRY and JAY look puzzled, and MAX does his inscrutable Zen-master thing.

BARRY:

_Me?_ But he doesn't really _know_ me. I'm a _story_ he grew up with.

MAX:

Exactly. I suspect you'll find him…

•

PAGE SIX (seven panels)

Panel 1. BARRY arrives inside the Flash Museum to find BART running on the cosmic treadmill.

MAX CAP (finishing MAX's speech):

"…at the Flash Museum."

BARRY:

Bart? Do you want to talk?

BART:

No. I want to _run!_

BART:

I'm going back to save Raemond Ferguson from ever being killed.

Panel 2. BARRY has run around to address BART's face. BART, still running, rolls his eyes as he responds.

BARRY:

Bart, it's dangerous to interfere-

BART (interrupting BARRY's balloon):

To interfere with the timestream blah blah! To change history blah blah blah!

Panel 3. BARRY tries to reason with BART.

BARRY:

Just _think_ of all the things you might undo.

Panel 4. BART's thought balloons from the previous panel show the coolers marked ORGAN TRANSPLANT, himself saving CHAMBERS from the beating, DEBRA CHAMBERS with her kitten on her new porch.

Panel 5. BART has stopped running, and is slumped against the treadmill.

BART:

But a nice guy's dead for no reason. And the criminal's strutting around, enjoying life. That's not _justice!_

BARRY:

Even heroes can't make life _just_, Bart. All we can do is make it _a little less unjust_. We just have to _keep trying._ As long as we can, and a little more.

Panel 6. Close up of BART, downcast but accepting.

BART:

Okay, I get it.

Panel 7. Silhouette of BARRY and BART running out of the Flash Museum together.

BARRY:

We've both been _dead_, Bart. Was it that bad?

BART:

Actually, Grandpa, I don't think I was paying attention.

•

PAGE SEVEN (four panels)

Panel 1. BART in regular clothes plays a videogame with JAI and IREY WEST. The cousins are all enjoying themselves.

BART CAP (expressing BART's thoughts):

My name is _Bart Allen_.

BART CAP:

I live with a bunch of relatives in _Keystone City_.

Panel 2. GRANTHAM, brushing his teeth in the morning, foams at the mouth and realizes he's using a tube marked SHAVING CREAM.

Panel 3. BART as Kid Flash races into a fight with the Teen Titans, particularly SUPERBOY and WONDER GIRL.

BART CAP:

Secretly I'm _Kid Flash_. I work with the _Titans_.

Panel 4. GRANTHAM comes out to his luxury SUV and discovers all the tires are flat.

•

PAGE EIGHT (six panels)

Panel 1. BART in ordinary clothes participates in a discussion in his Criminal Justice class. HERSEY and DESIDERIO sit nearby. Unlike earlier scenes, he's sharing ideas with all the other students instead of trying to show off, and everyone is friendly and interested.

BART CAP:

I'm taking some college courses.

Panel 2. GRANTHAM stands on a curb, having just been splashed by mud on his tailored linen suit. A fading crackly trail shows who stomped in that puddle.

Panel 3. BART in regular clothes plays guitar in PRESTON's apartment as HANNAH and PETER record him and the "Kid Flash Investigates!" footage plays on PRESTON's screen.

BART CAP:

I'm helping to make a _movie_.

Panel 4. As GRANTHAM sits down at a restaurant table, the chair behind him is whisked away, again with a crackly trail.

BART CAP:

And every day…

Panel 5. GRANTHAM angrily looks over his shoulder to find a handwritten KICK ME sign taped to his back.

BART CAP:

…I try to do…

Panel 6. GRANTHAM walks through his neighborhood. He looks haggard, and is glancing around suspiciously. At ankle height, a cord is being drawn tight across his path with a faint crackly trail beside it.

BART CAP:

…something useful.


End file.
